issue topics

Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

- A nation should always work for the welfare of its citizens and the their upliftment. - As such art does not feed the citizens of a country but suspending fundings on all art forms is not a wise decision. - example, If a nation is known for its handlooms and special textiles, which have a great demand and value in international market, should not suspend funding for its textile industry - In some cases, though funding in art may not essentially help increase in exports and influx of foreign currency, but it may help other connected industries to create more job opportunities. - example, funding to develop the aesthetics of a public park may help in creating more jobs for artists and architects, who in turn will employ more people under them and thus help tackle unemployment. - though industrialisation is necessary and important it should be done gradually because it leads to more unemployment as machines take over the jobs of men. - in conclusion, though a nation should primordially focus on sustainable and stable economic measures to tackle hunger and unemployment, it should not completely suspend its funding for arts.

All parents should be required to volunteer time to their children's schools. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

- Admittedly, in some cases, parents' participation in children's school is beneficial for students since those parents are be able to provide some crucial teachings that are not taught by schoolteachers. - In addition, volunteering in their children's school is essential since parents can ameliorate the school environment and be aware of their children's progress -ex: PTA - However, enforcing all parents to involve in school activities is illogical - Therefore, the recommendation should be forced to only those parents are able to abide by it.

A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college. Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.

- Already for years there are speculations about reforming school system in a lot of countries including U.S. The leading ex for all nations is of course Finland. - Pros: provides a whole nation w/ same knowledge, which creates a coherent pack of students w/ same educational background - easier for colleges to adjust their classes - easier to compare schools w/ each other -benefits transfer students -Cons: national curriculum may limit certain students in what they are able to achieve. - become demotivated - What should not be forgotten is a national curriculum alone will not get countries to the same international standards as Finland. However it may help, the true heart of education lies w/ the teachers. - should be agreed upon by teaching community before gov't requires it. - A national curriculum will therefore be a succcess if teachers are standing behind this reformation of education.

People's behavior is largely determined by forces not of their own making. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position

- Although this statement is widely used to excuse inappropriate conduct, for example- cheating on your partner is often excused because the accused was drunk, or not exercising regularly because they can't get the time for it, is incorrect. This isn't to say that we shouldn't let go of petty issues and hold the person responsible for each and every "hurtful" thing they might have said or done, or not empathize with people's sufferings, but excusing everything altogether isn't a great idea.- Firstly, people's behavior is primarily determined by their moral values -ex: Mahatma Gandhi - Further, decision-making also plays a key role in influencing a person's behavior -ex: Stephen Hawking - people's behavior is largely determined by their decisions and personal values. Promoting rational thinking and upholding moral values would improvise people's general behavior towards tough situations and each other, helping them in realizing that we have the power to control our behavior, despite the circumstances.

The most effective way to understand contemporary culture is to analyze the trends of its youth. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- Although trends of the yough do reflect some of the features of the contemporary culture, they are not enough. -First, though important, sometimes even overshoweding other traits in the culture, the prevaling of the youth is just part of the reflection of the contemperary culture. - Moreover, through the analysis on the thorough people in the society, more will be found out and concluded. -example, the style of drinking tea is one of the cultural traditions in China, which is still maintained by the age more than 40 while the youth just prefer the popular beverages such as coke, orange juices, etc -Furthermore, there still some essential parts can't be simply conveyed as trends, but one has to do a full-aspect studying such as gaining knowledge of the history, arts, literature, or taking a glance at the books, not the popular volumn but the thoughtful one - In the end, to get an insights on the contemperary culture effectively, one has to examine not only the trends of the youth, but also the prevalent tendencies of the majority and other materials such as books, histories, arts in the society.

Claim: The best way to understand the character of a society is to examine the character of the men and women that the society chooses as its heroes or its role models. Reason: Heroes and role models reveal a society's highest ideals. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based

- Assertion that character of a society can be understood through the heroes/role models that that society chooses, is certainly debatable - ppl whom a society value most & cherish as role models/ heroes are indeed quite telling of overall values & expectations of that society as a whole, there are also other factors which can be revealing, perhaps even more so than the role models, as to the character of that society. - society is not a uniform body, but merely an entity composed of various ppl, w/ their various mentalities & expectations - Since it is impossible for all ppl in a society to have same ideals & expectations, role models & heroes are rather relative measures of the character of that society -maybe it would be more productive & accurate to consider not just role models but also the scientific, cultural achievements of a particular society since they constitute a tangible materialization of the aspirations, level of knowledge, innovation & development, both intellectual as well as material, of a society -I believe that role models might provide insight into ideals & values shared by large numbers of ppl in a society, but at the same time, a more accurate measurement of the character of that society can be provided by the level of development & progress attained as this constitutes a materialization of the dreams & knowledge of that society

Some people believe that college students should consider only their own talents and interests when choosing a field of study. Others believe that college students should base their choice of a field of study on the availability of jobs in that field. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented

- Balance between personal interest & job availability should be sought according to individual values & priorities one might have. - advantages of basing choice on job market - more jobs are available - more options regarding places to live, -companies to work at, work environment & work-life balance -better salaries - disadvantages of such a choice of profession is that life after all may become nonsense or boring - choosing a field based on personal interests & talents will probably bring a more enjoyable work activity and this will reflect on personal life - The bad side of it is that the choice of field of study based on interest may result in times of struggling - balance between personal interest & jobs availability should be sought according to individual values & priorities.

Unfortunately, in contemporary society, creating an appealing image has become more important than the reality or truth behind that image. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- Because likes and followers are immediatly linked to fame and money, creating an appealing image has become more important than the reality or truth behind that image. - The first thing companies do when they receive a job application is google that persons name, look at his/her facebook, twitter, instagram and other social profiles - his of course implies that one should take all social profiles with a grain of salt. But it gives people the opportunity again to show you what they really are made of when you meet them face to face. In the end, one cannot disguise him/herself from who he/she really is -Despite this own judging, one should not forget that the human mind is easily fooled and that right now it has become more of a quest to create the most appealing image, only deteriorating the situation -In sum, we can say that to a certain extent, creating appealing images has its good points, since it gives strangers the benefit of the doubt when you meet them, allowing you to form your own judgement. However, this social hyping is taking immense proportions which creates new, more severe problems our society will have to face

The best way to teach is to praise positive actions and ignore negative ones. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

-disagree - if these actions are ignored, never quit habit - Even if she is a brilliant student, negative actions should be taken into account & be taught that these behaviors/attitudes are wrong. - parents also plays a very pivot role in making of children's character. Any wrong traits should be immidiately rectify. -ex: Suppose a kid has very good behaviour and everyone praise his character. But he is having a habit of stealing money. Clearly these traits should not be neglected. - Not always necessary to be harsh on negative actions but we need to remind them that this is not correct and they need to feel sorry for their wrong actions.

Some people believe that society should try to save every plant and animal species, despite the expense to humans in effort, time, and financial well-being. Others believe that society need not make extraordinary efforts, especially at a great cost in money and jobs, to save endangered species. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

- Depending upon the type of species under consideration, both opinions have some merits and neither can be ignored completely - Foremost, human activities are a major cause for endangering the ecosystem and the existence of many species -ex: industrialization, illegal hunting - humans are a part of delicately complex ecosystem called biotic symbiosis where one species contributes to the survival and well-being of other -Conversely, any government has the responsibility to fulfil citizens' immediate needs of employment, education, healthcare, etc. using limited resources. Hence, as the second opinion asserts, it is neither possible nor justifiable for any government to make extra ordinary efforts in terms of money, efforts, and time to suffice for the conservation of every endangered plants and animals - However, problem arises in those situations when solving one problem entails compromise with the other. For example, African nations have acres of wilderness land but are still unable to provide food to its majority. - with a sustainable approach it can come up with innovative solution catering to both the needs. - Conversion of wilderness areas into national parks in Tanzania aptly exemplifies such a wiser approach. -In conclusion, owing to the moral obligation and need for self-preservation, species that are endangered by human activities or are important for our very well-being, should be saved by the society even if it requires extraordinary efforts. Contrarily, extra ordinary efforts are not justifiable for the conservation for those naturally endangered species whose extinction has either low probability or negligible consequences to the ecosystem balance

Formal education tends to restrain our minds and spirits rather than set them free. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

- Education is of vital importance. -has power to grant one of the basic needs of living like food, shelter, clothing and contribute to development. - 1st, children need social interaction - 2nd, formal education teaches how to be disciplined & act accordingly. - prioritization of work & allotment (quota,share, ration, cut,etc) of time to the most important activity are great concepts learned indirectly by undergoing formal education - The status of formal education today is not perfect & needs some improvement. On the other hand, it does not mean that, we can do away w/ concept of formal education. - formal education, in most cases frees our minds & spirits & bestows upon us ability to think clearly & logically.

The surest indicator of a great nation is represented not by the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but by the general welfare of its people. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

- I believe that a nation should be assessed based on the general well-being of is ppl for the following reasons. -To say a nation is great, the ppl living in the country should be at least provided by decent welfare system, which enables them to maintain healthy & safe daily life as well as to be educated as much as they wish - Unfortunately, achievements of individual specialists are not always relevant to welfare of public -ex: Olympics. representing one's nation, winning a medal could be such a fame, not only for the player but also for the country. Such amazing achievement, however, cannot feed children suffer from famine, provide education for illiterate ppl, or help ppl who lost their houses from floods. If a nation cannot take care of basic needs of its citizenry, however great achievements are made by individuals, it cannot be considered great. - Secondly, although achievements are relevant to the welfare issue of public, the gov't may fail to distribute benefit of the achievements. -ex: Korea - while accomplishments of individual experts in diverse fields may contribute to greatness of a nation, there are other more critical factors that can tell us about the nation.

If a goal is worthy, then any means taken to attain it are justifiable. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- I believe that achieving goal by what way is more important than goal itself. so I take side against the statement and I will justify my statement by taking two examples into consideration which will explicitly declaim my reasoning. - Thing which is right for someone can not be right for whole crowd. For instance, take example of examination in school - He can accomplish this goal by cheating in exam or by copying some other student paper. Will our code of ethics allow it -ex: example of politicians who are elected by votes of public or buying votes - So goal which is worthy will be praised by people if it is accomplished without surmounting moral standards.

Government officials should rely on their own judgment rather than unquestioningly carry out the will of the people they serve

- I mostly agree with this statement for two reasons. - For example, in 18th century France, the monarchy under king Louis XVI and Maria Antoinette were ruling entirely against the desires of the French people. - there are officials who have to deal with the negative will of the people. During the Civil War, Abraham Lincoln went to war with the Confederate States of America despite receiving criticism from people in the Union. - the will of the people has changed with the evolution of progressivism. -The ever changing ideas of its people is only natural and should be expected when officials take their positions, but should they unquestionablly waiver against their judgment or make compromise when the issues could not be relevant in the future - Officials should stay true to their better judgment but be able to make compromises with their people to not turn out to be tyrants - Being able to make compromise and stay true to their own judgment when it really matters most is what allowed some of the greatest leaders of all time to achieve what they did.

People's attitudes are determined more by their immediate situation or surroundings than by society as a whole. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- I support that the immediate situation would have more influence than the whole society to one's attitude for the following reasons - First of all, the immediate situation directly and the closest affects people, while the society influence would be far away -ex: if a country which is positive and justice, while one person accompany with greedy and corrupt friends and family, the person would have a great chance to become a craven and greedy person. - Secondly, according to the psychology, people would act more proper when they aware that some others are watching than the time when there is no one looking at - ex:labors might not dare to be lazy when the managers are monitoring. On the contrary, if there is no one monitor on them, they have a chance to take a rest. Thus, the immediate circumstance would affect one's attitude more than the society. - Admittedly, the society still have their effects on people, like education and well-fare. - although both society and the immediate situation have influence toward people's attitude, the present condition might play the main role in making the decision and decide the attitude.

Students should always question what they are taught instead of accepting it passively. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- If students do not question, what they are taught instead of accepting it passively, their learning is not complete. - education is not only about acquiring the existing knowledge of a field, it is also about developing a penchant for asking healthy questions wherever the existing knowledge does not seem to be the best explanation of the observed trend. - If the students keep questioning about the things they are taught rather than accepting them as such, the learning process becomes more interactive. - In the field of literature, different individuals can have different interpretations of a literary work like poem or prose. If the teacher imposes his interpretation of the work on the students, the students will not be able to develop their own appreciation of literature. However, if the teacher allows the studenst to question his explanation and present their respective points of view, newer ideas and yet unlooked for avenues will come into being. - intelligent questioning is the very essence of learning and is also the force which drives learning by pushing the circle of knowledge wider

Some people believe it is often necessary, even desirable, for political leaders to withhold information from the public. Others believe that the public has a right to be fully informed. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

- In few cases, the information can be kept secret. But, in most of the cases, the information ought to be announced to the public - First of all, keeping the information transparent, keeps the politicians away from indulging in malpractices like corruption - cheating people, looting the public money - taxes collected from people etc - Secondly, the leaders are elected by the people and hence their ultimate responsibility is to serve the requirements of the people. - to understand the needs of the people, political leaders must divulge the information to the public and get their opinions on the topic. - Moreover, there can be multiple opinions on the same topic; they can come from people from different walks of life -ex: national curriculum - Some may argue that certain kinds of information needs to be kept secret. Obviously, there exists few cases,where in divulging the information to the public can be disastrous -, if the leaders plan to catch hold of a criminal in a particular area, then they must not make known their plans to the public. Taking the case of Osama bin Laden - certain information regarding the treasuries of a government and plans of the leaders to attack other countries must not be made known to the public. - letting the information known to the public will create mutual understanding between the leaders and the people and will lead them in the path of success.

Some people believe that in order to be effective, political leaders must yield to public opinion and abandon principle for the sake of compromise. Others believe that the most essential quality of an effective leader is the ability to remain consistently committed to particular principles and objectives. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

- Political leaders must have well-defined principles & objectives in order to support their stand. -objectives must be concerned towards welfare of the ppl. If they happen to compromise on their belief based on public opinion, it will only lead to confusion on the part of their credibility. -many exs in realtime to illustrate that political leaders who have been stubborn in their opinion are remembered for a long time in the history. - 1st, leaders who adhere to a cause are venerated by the ppl -sticking to a particular cause often gains acclaim for leaders and they become icons in due course. -Ex, Mahatma Gandhi - 2nd, leaders who never comprise on principles are considered to be credible and can be trusted to eradicate miseries of the ppl. -ex, Abraham Lincoln in rescuing the Africans from clutches of slavery. - effective leader is identified by commitments towards principles & objectives; it creates a clear picture of the leader and engenders trust on him in minds of the ppl.

Governments should place few, if any, restrictions on scientific research and development. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

- Science & developments flourish where they are supported and researches are conducted w/ freedom - might be situations when gov'ts should limit scope of scientific applications & researches. -The researches that might harm human dignity or aim to produce chemical weapons should be banned - ex: genetically engineering to clone a human. chemical weapons might have disastrous effects as in the case of Hiroshima. As a result, any form of usage & development of weapons that might affect such a large population should be banned. - In addition, although there might be some restrictions, they should be few. Countries where there are only few restrictions on science might attract the researchers. - ex: there are severe restrictions on genetic researches in U.S. and many European countries. Beside, Singapore does not ban any research and they create a supporting environment for researchers. Consequently, several eminent professors & many promising young scientists who specialize on genetic choose to dwell in Singapore. -Finally, gov'ts might prefer to restrict scientific researches under the name of showing respect to religious feelings of the populace. However, aims of religious ppl could be to protect their authority and not allow pple to enlighten - ex:, in Middle Ages Roman Catholic Church put many restrictions on scientific researches. They did not permit any research that might contradict w/ doctrines of Bible. Galileo claimed that Earth revolves around Sun - if these restrictions had continued to exist, then technologies such as sending satellites to space would not be possible today

The primary goal of technological advancement should be to increase people's efficiency so that they have more leisure time. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- Technological advancements exist in this world, in order to ease our work and aid us in all our endeavors. But this does not imply that, the sole aim of techological advancement is to ensure leisure time for people. - First of all, technological devices prevent us from doing monotonous work - technical advancements averts us from doing useless work and converges our attention in performing useful work - Additionally, people's efficiency is not increased by the technological advancements. Instead, they somehow decrease people's potential and their cogitative abilities. - ex: today's children tend to use calculators, even when encountered with a petty calculation. letter-writing has almost been completely eroded with the advent of e-mails. - Since everyone are money-minded, they have urge to reach the pinnacle of success, in the shortest time possible. Hence, people try arduously, to make as much money as possible. Therefore, they do not even spare the leisure time. - technological developments do not stop us and make us relax in the luxuries they provide; instead they goad us, to make use of the available time as much as possible. - Some may argue that technological developments, increase people's efficiency. However, no machine can equal man's knowledge and "machines are man's slaves; not his masters". - technical advancements will continue to keep people busy, inspite of they easing the people's lives.

Educators should base their assessment of students' learning not on students' grasp of facts but on the ability to explain the ideas, trends, and concepts that those facts illustrate. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

- The assessment must be based on how well the student is able to apply the facts learned to the real life situations. - First of all, many students today tend to mug up the facts and figures. Henceforth, they find an easy way to ace the exams with top grades - This is evident in the transition stage from school to college -The reason for many students blaming the education system of their country is that, they really do not know how to apply what they have learned to the real world - In today's world, students are just learning for namesake purpose and earning a degree to land up in a job. - Only if the theory(facts) are backed up with lab work(illustration of facts), will a student get interested in thinking out of the box and opting for research. - Above all, some may quote that understanding the ideas, trends and concepts behind each and every fact can take a lot of time. On the other hand, this time spent in understanding does not go in vain - Facts which are learned with complete understanding through live experiment results, stay in one's mind forever - Therefore, educators must base their evaluation of students' learning on the understanding of facts

The main benefit of the study of history is to dispel the illusion that people living now are significantly different from people who lived in earlier times. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- This concise statement is true as the peoples' natures really don't change completely and some part of their ancestor's nature or temperament remains in the new generations also. Some people might disagree with it by thinking that new generations bring new mindset which is partly true, so i would prefer to agree with it. - nature of people never completely differs from their ancestors -ex: terrorists' - study of history not only benefits us by vanishing the misconception stated but also it makes us aware about our societal development - example, the laws existed in many centuries ago about racism are now completely changed - Conversely, even there were a lot of good developments done in society and study of history does prevent some people to get evil, there are still some people which will never change -ex: Saddam Hussein - it is wise to say that study of history helps many people to get out of illusion that people have changed and a lot different than those people existed in history, but it isn't the only major benefit of it.History also gives us feedback of our developments in various fields and admonishes us about the bad possibilities in development.

Many important discoveries or creations are accidental: it is usually while seeking the answer to one question that we come across the answer to another. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- This statement is not completely true about all discoveries or creations made by human - One of the most important discoveries in the history is discovery of gravity which was made by Sir Isaac Newton - Similarly, though some important discoveries are accidental, it isn't necessary that the discovery is a bi-product of some different research. - example, the discovery of fire in the stone age was accidental but the human at that time was seeking something that creates heat and burns the wood chopped by him. - alternative discoveries aren't each time useful - it is true that most of important discoveries made by human are kind of accidental and some of them also found as a bi-product of experiment

People who are the most deeply committed to an idea or policy are also the most critical of it. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

- When a person commits himself to an idea, he develops feelings of care & ownership w/ regard to the idea or policy. It is based on simple psychological features of human beings. I totally agree to the stated notion. - It is duty of ppl to use the critical approach for common benefit. - The idea is quite analogous to the parent child relationship. The parents commit their entire life for upliftment of their children and thus, become too critical of them - The field of psychology states the bridge which leads to the emotional surge. When a person remains attached to some object, creature, idea or policy, he develops emotional attachment to the subject. - Some may argue over the violence that takes place when thinking & emotions become too critical - such mishaps can be prevented by inclusion of logic instead of blindly following emotions. Every stimulus does create response but no response is uncontrollable. - Critical response should be utilized positively so as to facilitate the necessary reforms or retention of laws, policies and ideas in the most peaceful way possible.

The well-being of a society is enhanced when many of its people question authority. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- When humans started living in clusters, there was need to address the needs of the ppl w/out encroaching of the rights of others. Hence, came idea of governing - society must participate & be watchful of governing body by constant questioning & demanding for reforms. - Since reason for any gov't body is welfare of ppl, it is the ppl that should be in charge of who governs them. Therefore, the slogan for democracies is: of the ppl, by the ppl, for the ppl. -basic right of the ppl in any country to choose who will lead them. But, w/ every right, comes a duty. Its the duty of the same ppl to question the authority. - Power has tendency to corrupt people. -Ex: hitler - Concentration of power in the hands of a few leads to monarchy, corruption & serving biased interests. - responsibility of the ppl to ensure that authority is doing what they are made for.

Universities should require every student to take a variety of courses outside the student's field of study. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position

- agree -Ppl who have received education in various fields will adapt to society more quickly - ex: politics & economy will allow them to understand current issues of society that influence their research and daily life -Research in various fields would also supplement each other -ex: studying of fashion design & computer science. By learning interactive technology, Fashion designers could create smart clothes that possess various performance other than fabulous outlook - many positions in today's society require candidates have transdisciplinary experience b/c it is crucial for teamwork - Educating students to be versatile is valuable to flourish the society.

Colleges and universities should require their students to spend at least one semester studying in a foreign country. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

- as far as the university level education in the United States is concerned, the idea that students do not have to study abroad is crucial. - The chief reason for my assertion lies in the diverse and superb reputation of the university level education in the United States - First, if the universities or colleges require their students to study abroad, students need to pay extra tuitions and living fees. As a result, students cannot concentrate on their studies, or do not choose the universities that require them to study abroad. - Second, the universities in the United States are already diversified. - I strongly assert that studying abroad should not be required by universities as far as the university level education in the United States is concerned

Scientists and other researchers should focus their research on areas that are likely to benefit the greatest number of people. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

- controversial issue - most of the researches chosen by the scientists and researchers are heavily funded by government with common people's tax money. Therefore, I believe that scientists should choose field of study which are likely to benefit greatest number of people. - First of all, when scientists and researchers focus on areas which are likely to benefit greater number of people, their possibility of success is more. - example of artificial intelligence. All top companies like Facebook, Tesla, Apple etc are working in this new field and trying to perfect this new technology - Furthermore, it is very common to hear that some or the other deadly disease is circulating a particular area and is spreading very fast. -Ex: covid, swine flu, ebola -Admittedly, there are other areas which cannot benefit greater number of people but are in interest of specific scientist and researchers. -This is true specifically when these great minds are working to invent new hi-tech weapons for their country - although there are some areas where greater number of people are not benefited and can be focused, most of the areas should benefit greater number of people.

Governments should offer college and university education free of charge to all students. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

- disagree -creates at least 3 problems; funding, moral hazards & limiting roles of universities. - creates a problem of funding for universities - gov't cannot afford to soley fund universities. - creates a moral hazard b/c students have no incentive to invest in their education. Individuals are more likely to commit to something that requires some sacrifice on their part. - if free education is provided for all students at tertiary level, research may be limited b/c funds received may likely go to overhead costs such as maintenance of infrastructure & salaries -recommendation that free education should be provided for all students has a merit b/c education has positive consequences for a society. Holding all other factors constant, an educated society should be a prosperous & well developed one. Thus, a gov't may benefit from implementing a policy of free education at tertiary level. This is b/c all things being equal, students would contribute towards the development of society - Free education should only be provided on a needs or merit basis

Governments should offer a free university education to any student who has been admitted to a university but who cannot afford the tuition. Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position

- disagree -society would rely on gov't to cover tuition. Its tempting to think that making university education free would break down the barrier for all potential students, these students can afford education in many paths -ex: scholorships through working positions, private corporates & non-profit organizations can also offer amplified internship positions, alumnus might reward their university & fund students to encourage them -If gov't undertakes such a vast responsibility alone to cover all unaffordable tuition, other institutions might not have motivation to offer financial opportunities for students anymore - Second, this policy would do severe harm to welfare of society -Given the horrible budget deficit of every gov't today, its unrealistic for gov't to burden such a large amount of cost - Third, it would stimulate the idleness in people's conception - considering the possible consequences, I disagree with the policy

The luxuries and conveniences of contemporary life prevent people from developing into truly strong and independent individuals. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

- disagree - The emergence of technology and devices such as electricity, internet, cars, good healthcare has improved the quality of life & life expectancy of individuals - As living standards improved, thought processes & mindsets also changed. -Individuals began to diversify & improved quality of life. Other occupations apart from traditional occupations emerged. - Modern day conveniences has also given individuals time & ability to explore world they live in and make it better - ex, research is being conducted on how to tackle issues such as global warming. - women are now seen as comtemporaries of men rather than weaker sex b/c they have been able to grow -the improved standard of living and situation of machines are the beck and call of humans may have made us lazy -ex: calculators, phones, internet - individuals are better-off w/ these conveniences rather than w/out them

Leaders are created by the demands that are placed on them. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- it is true that they have been created according to need of hour or by the demands the public place over them. - As said- traits are inborn & imbibed since birth and can be nurtured, in the similar fashion, the need of the hour, desires of public & cruciality of situation instigates the dormant talent among the individuals and thus provide ample opportunity to be an efficient leader. - Consider a normal classroom scenario - On the other hand, one can never refute the idea of hidden potentialities w/in an individual. -For instance, the tenants of Satyagraha, Non-Violence, Peace, and Truth of Mahatma Gandhi have been emerged in India when the public was highly dissatisfied with Britishers and wanted to take blood-shed revenge. - leaders make their path on their own by ruminating about the situation and issues underhand pretty well.

The human mind will always be superior to machines because machines are only tools of human minds. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

- machines are not so superior as human minds -machines & computers cannot work w/out human beings. If we analyze that all machines & computers are programmed by engineers, and following the programs, we can have a certain level of agreement that machines cannot overcome human's minds - First, machines do not have minds. - Second, machines cannot create new things as human beings are continuously doing b/c computers can do what engineers programmed - It is true that machines overcome ppl's ability; however, to perform so, they must be programmed so - I strongly believe that human minds are more superior than machines in terms of the fact machines are creations of human beings is concerned

Governments should focus on solving the immediate problems of today rather than on trying to solve the anticipated problems of the future. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

- more beneficial if gov't puts forward its resources in solving vulnerable present & on-going issues . -1st, today is the best time to begin any work - ex: poverty, education, malnutrition, etc should be addressed first instead of putting more focus on long term planning. - However, focusing on future problems is also very important - Being oblivious of such problems would lead to more & more chaos in country. -ex, far more tactical to take constructive actions for issues like flood or earthquake rather than waiting for it, then spending more money & manpower to overcome it when it actually occurs. -Necessary that country focuses on anticipated problems of future but it is very much important to look into present problems first b/c if present problems are overlooked, then they would harbinger bigger future chaos & problems

Politicians should pursue common ground and reasonable consensus rather than elusive ideals. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

- politicians should come to an agreement instead of looking for personal or party ideals. - Many good bills stay "behind scenes" waiting to be supported by a majority of congressmen in order to be applied - political disagreements led bills to be delayed which can harm not only few ppl but entire country. -At present political conflicts between countries have born in order to satisfy particular interests which lead to no consensus between parties. These conflicts could end in wars, which could bring a high death toll. -For instance, conflicts in the Middle East have been there a long time for reasons which involve the control of some zones - b/c politicians do not always think in the same way, this situation has permitted that bills have been enhanced before it was applied beneficiating the population. - if political forces do not arrive in an agreement, many beneficial bills could stay in written words and not to be applied and many army conflicts could be developed, which may lead people to worse situations than they are now.

It is no longer possible for a society to regard any living man or woman as a hero. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

- the definition of a hero can be different for every person and therefore I strongly disagree with the claim. -Every individual draws inspiration from a variety of sources like movies, incidents, people or even nature - n the past, when many countries were under foreign rule, freedom fighters laid their lives for independence. -Examples like Mahatma Gandhi, aptly called the Father of the Nation in India is a global hero. Similarly, the contributions of Martin Luther King and Nelson Mandela, in the entire movement for the liberation of African-Americans are extraordinary and they deserve all the admiration they have today. - However, the contributions of influential individuals today, fighting against evils of society, cannot be compared with these martyrs. The injustice and ill practices predominant in the society today are completely different and equally important and therefore cannot be undermined. - The covid-19 has spread across the world. With governments worldwide fighting to save lives, the doctors and health officals are nothing less than heroes. - Ignoring these contributions and not recognizing these living heroes today would be a huge mistake. - the general claim that we cannot find heroes in today's living world is not true at all.

The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

- the statement, "The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries." holds true in most cases. -By the time, the world becomes aware of the full potential of their work and consequentially regarding them as greats, there lifetime is either already over or they are in the latter stages of their lives -The field of science is one such field where many examples of greats being recognised by their followers rather than contemporaries can be found. Nicolas Copernicus, an early European astrophysist had come to the conclusion that Sun rather than Earth is the centre of the Universe, as opposed to the popular belief held at that time - Copernicus's postulates were proved only after Galileo invented the telescope few centuries later. Thus Copernicus received his due credit only after his death by those who followed him. - However, there are fields which are exceptions to this phenomenon. For example, in fields of sports or performing arts, - if a contribution has immediate impact, the contributer is regarded as great by contemporaries themselves - The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries." holds true generally but there are exceptions when the contributions of the greats get noticed early.

Governments should not fund any scientific research whose consequences are unclear. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

- this recommendation has a good standing point but lacks of some considerations of other important factors - First of all, this recommendation oversees the potential of long term consequences of scientific research. - Moreover, in circumstances like space scientific research, the government should provide financial support even though the outcomes are unknown -I partially disagree with the recommendation that only scientific research with clear outcomes could get funded by government. Even though this recommendation may be useful in some situation, a detailed case by case analysis should be conducted before any action has been committed

Teachers' salaries should be based on their students' academic performance. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

- unjustified to put this opinion into implementation - Each person has own unique personality & talent that sets him/her apart. Some students are very bright while others give mediocre output -this could be counterproductive to a teacher's performance. Suppose even after delivering the best performance,there are students who failed to give adequate results due to negligence or lack of seriousness on their part and a teacher's salary is reduced due to that,he/she might get demotivated to perform better and hence might go into a state of dejection and helplessness - other alternatives like taking student feedback periodically on every teacher.This will even help the teacher to know what are their flaws and what is expected out of them by their students - Deciding the salary of a teacher based on a student's performance is an harmful measure for both teachers and students

Nations should pass laws to preserve any remaining wilderness areas in their natural state, even if these areas could be developed for economic gain. Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.

- we have ruined natures hierarchy, for one reason: we thought progress in economy & industry is worth the sacrifice - nations should start paying attention to environment, and since fixing ruined jungles, forests & other natural landscapes will probably take hundreds of yrs, we should take extra care of remaining parts. - Since no other organization would have the power to do so, it would logically be gov'ts responsibility to pass laws to preserve remaining wilderness, before they are occupied & destroyed by factories or incorporations seeking profit - many things should be defined before passing such rules. -ex, countries in Africa which cannot provide enough food for their ppl, and have acres of "wilderness areas" preserved, b/c ppl are unable to use them properly. in this case, there should be groups of experts studying the area, to define fine line between areas that should be preserved & areas that could be put to use for ppl's basic needs - Environmental mottos & quotes sound pleasing when they preach about keeping nature for future generations, but they largely forget that we are not providing enough food for the present population. Let's preserve natural wilderness areas, but let's do it correctly.

Society should make efforts to save endangered species only if the potential extinction of those species is the result of human activities. Write a response in which you discuss your views on the policy and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider the possible consequences of implementing the policy and explain how these consequences shape your position.

- we should realize that we should come forward and revive them back into this world, independent of the fact who caused the harm. - Consider the Indian tiger - because of global warming many other polar regions are getting affected - Not only the terestrial life need to be considered, the aquatic life which is seriously hampered by human presence - rise in water temperature caused loss many coral reefs, and immense fishing has left many aquatic species in state of near extinction - from the bulk of evidence, we can conclude that there is a urgent need of the policy which will check the terrestrial, polar and aquatic life balance , even if it causes temporary disruptions in our life. We are humans, who can understand others pain, thus it is our duty to save them by bearing some pain.

Educators should teach facts only after their students have studied the ideas, trends, and concepts that help explain those facts. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

-. Due to the controversial nature of this question, there is not a general agreement on this issue. I am, however, to a great extent of the conviction that individuals could act wisely and make a sound decision if they encounter with reality and facts. -Broadly speaking, when students regardless of their level of study do not realize deeply the concepts, ideas, and crowds of other things related to that subject, they could not afford to understand the real meaning behind the subjects not only in that field but also in their lives - Another reason that should not go unnoticed is that there is a close correlation between learning facts and becoming successful - example, if a businessman wants to have a prosperous career or even run a successful business, he/she should be taught basic needs by the experienced educators and confront with facts in order to recognize and seize great opportunities. - myriads of facts happen by experience. It means that a plethora of people face facts just by their previous experiences and do not need to know more about a fundamental need - could not only be waste of time but also could be annoying for some people and make them confused. In such case, myriads of people will lose their enthusiasm to learn facts. - I reiterate that students or people need to appreciate concepts in order to perceive facts in their real lives.

Laws should be flexible enough to take account of various circumstances, times, and places. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position

-A more flexible law, will mean that criminals have possibilities to get away w/ punishments & sentences. After weighting evidence, it is certain that laws need to be rigid & redoubtable to the criminals -ex, the legimitations in Suviet Union, which used to be considered as a lawless country, showed that the flexibility of laws led to dissolution of a society & its ppl. - gov't creates laws to keep its civilians' safe & prosperous. Flexible laws enhances criminals' opportunities to threaten other's safety & properties, which will unstablize development of a society, - cause disorder of a society - decideing when and how to be flexible to the criminals is diffcult. Diff judges would have diff judgements on the basis of the flexiable laws - more emphasis need to be on whether it is against the credo of legimiation other than casually demanding of the flexibility

Claim: Governments must ensure that their major cities receive the financial support they need in order to thrive. Reason: It is primarily in cities that a nation's cultural traditions are preserved and generated. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.

-A nation's cultural traditions should be preserved and it is in some of its major cities that traditions are generated. - ex: one could have a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture by visiting Beijing and seeing the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace & the Temple of Heaven. Also, one could become acquainted with Indian Culture by visiting New Delhi and seeing the Taj Mahal. -However, doesn't mean govt should give major cities financial support - First, major cities have their own ways to get financial support. (tax revenues, foreign investments & tourist industries) -Second, due to globalization major cities are becoming increasingly similar to one another, thus, ppl might not experience nations cultural traditions. -its in some small towns & rural areas that nation's cultural traditions are preserved. As a result, gov't should give these regions financial support to preserve traditions. -ex: minorities living in remote Yunnan, Guangxi & Guizhou province of China have unique traditions and customs that one cannot experience in major cities. A minority called Dai in Yunnan province has a traditional water-sprinkling festival that ppl pour water onto each other to celebrate the lunar new year. -Also, such small towns & rural villages are relatively less-developed so they need more financial support than do big cities. -conclusion: no need for gov't to ensure that major cities should receive financial support b/c they have various ways to get it. By contrast, gov't should give more financial support to small towns & rural villages to help these areas to thrive, so cultural traditions in those areas could be preserved.

Society should identify those children who have special talents and provide training for them at an early age to develop their talents. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

-Although this recommendation is well intentioned and throughout history, some talents, such as Mozart, have justified this recommendation, in some cases, identifying those gifted children and providing special training for them, from my perspective, are not always effective ways to develop their talents - Receiving specific training, these children could accumulate rich knowledge of certain fields and exploit their talents fully and properly. Mozart is an excellent example of this point. - By contrast, under different circumstances, this action may have a negative influence on children's all-round development, especially mental growth - Being identified or overexposed by society is detrimental to children, putting stress on them. Take China for example. Due to the fact that Chinese society puts a high value on academic performance, society is eager to identify those children who have special talents in academic performance. - Because of an overload of study and attention from society, these talents can hardly have freedom as well as pleasure - In conclusion, the answers to whether society should identify those children who have special talents and provide training for them may be diverse under different circumstances

To understand most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities. Write response in which you discuss extent to which you agree/disagree w/ the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take.

-disagree - narrow-minded approach -logical to study cities as these have highest concentration of population, this ignores small towns & rural areas - ex: India, 70 % of ppl live in rural areas, studying just cities will give incomplete picture - Major cities offer most visible characteristics, providing view of the fast-paced, ever-changing political, financial, technological or social spheres. - Most major cities are cosmopolitan in nature, they have ppl of diff societies living together. Thus, cultural & traditional aspects of a society somewhat gets diluted. -On the other hand, in small towns & villages, there is almost no globalization, traditions and cultures of the society are relatively preserved. - conclusion: while major cities do provide valuable insights into political, economic & social aspects of a society, one must also study its smaller towns & villages for more understanding of all its traditions & culture.

In any situation, progress requires discussion among people who have contrasting points of view. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

-Any situation in life can have different interpretations depending upon the way of perception of its observer. An optimist may say that the glass is half full while a pessimist would say that it is half empty - In any situation, progress requires discussion among people who have contrasting points of view. -Different individuals perceive different aspects of a situation as well as those of its probable solutions. For example, the elected chair person or mayor of a city may have a desire of building a bridge or flyover at a particular place in the city to decrease traffic jams. In his own mind building the flyover may be the most elegant solution fully worthy of the taxpayer's money that will be spent on it. However,on closer examination analysts may find that the cost incurred in building the bridge or flyover will not be offset by the decrease in traffic problems - By examining such opposing views he may be able to arrive at better solutions to solve the traffic problem -ex: democratic system - in any situation, progress requires discussion among people who have contrasting points of view

Some people believe that government funding of the arts is necessary to ensure that the arts can flourish and be available to all people. Others believe that government funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

-Arts depict characteristics of a civilization & society, so, preservation is important - financial support will ensure that, artist are able to develop skills & get a proper platform for exhibiting their skills w/out hardships. - In developing & under-developed countries, scarcity of financial support hinders proliferation of arts - museums & art galleries are funded by gov't b/c they are subjects of national importance, likewise a particular skill set which develops unique art forms such as plays, paintings, or music is of national importance & must be preserved. - On the other hand, gov't funding may threaten integrity of arts, if funding is prejudiced to some particular fields or subjects of arts. -ex: soviet Union era, encouraged only areas of art which aligned to political motives. This biased support led to ignorance of other areas of arts which did not developed in that era. - In some countries, particular forms of drawing or music are banned. So, if the gov't funding is biased, then overall development of arts gets compromised, as creativity of artist is limited to produce arts w/ specific themes. - duty of gov't to be unbiased towards all forms of arts & contribute to overall development

Educators should find out what students want included in the curriculum and then offer it to them. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position

-In the last two or three decades, things have started to change. The school environment in not so rigid anymore, physical punishment is banned, and dialogue between students and teachers has become a lot more frequent and informal - On one hand, educators are certainly more qualified than students to perform this job. - This subject bias makes students not the best curriculum engineers, for they tend to pick subjects that they like, rather than the ones which are important for their education. - On the other hand, history has shown us how big a difference students can make if they have an active voice - The Students Act that happened in France in the late sixties, although not pedagogical in nature, is a clear example of that. helped modernize the country's institutions and resulted in an overall better educational system - Not all students are irresponsible with regard to subject matters and may actually make a very valuable contribution - A healthy two-way communication channel between teachers and students, so long as the teacher's authority remains preserved, should be the aim of all educational establishments

Claim: Many problems of modern society cannot be solved by laws and the legal system. Reason: Laws cannot change what is in people's hearts or minds. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.

-Laws could influence the people's immoral behavior if implemented in an appropriate manner. I do not concur to statement that problems of modern society cannot be solved by law and legal system. - Everybody in the society has his own will and has something going in their minds. Let us say, a person had a excerbated tussle with someone. In the moment, that person might think of killing the person. However, he stops and recognizes that this is against laws. - proper laws are necessary for the growth of businesses. - One may content that there are many cases where laws have been broke by many people. Thus, laws cannot change people's hearts or mind. However, such examples are quite few compared to entire population. - If laws are implemented properly, the power to influence people's hearts and minds.

In order for any work of art — for example, a film, a novel, a poem, or a song — to have merit, it must be understandable to most people. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

-Popularity and comprehension by masses cannot be yardsticks to ascertain the value of a work of art and this is most commonly evidenced by the posthumous success of artists from motley fields. In the words of Oscar Wilde, definition of art should follow the work; the work should not adapt itself to the definition - Creating boundaries and frameworks for art especially based on popular perception would rob art of its essential purpose - The value of a piece of art cannot be cloistered in the walls of popular psyche or perception - Artists from Van Gogh to Picasso, literary progenies like Franz Kafka and Jane Austen, music maestros like Bach and Ray Charles had extremely varied styles and were only celebrated for their genius posthumously. Critics and laity alike failed to recognize the merit of their works during their lifetime. However, that did not propel these prodigies to alter their work based on temporal considerations of popular perceptions of their time. Art to truly have merit must be timeless and eternal and be full of vitality connecting with and motivating people. - Art is as much boundary-less as eternal. - connect with people across the barriers of language, culture, expertise and even physical handicaps -Mozart and Bach is often used in therapies of alternate healing for mentally handicapped people. These people might not be able to understand the technical nuances that make this music nothing short of brilliant, but the combined effect of tempo, rhythm, sound is what connects with them and has an ameliorative effect - While art for art's sake is a prevailing liberal modernism outlook, a new view of the relevance of art is as an instrument to effect social change. - In conclusion, the definition of what makes a piece of work truly art changes over time and neither expert nor popular acclaim can be the litmus test to adjudicate the merit. Art for its own sake serves to stimulate senses of the people and the creative urges of the artist and does not necessitate popular acceptance, but art as a catalyst for change requires that must be comprehendible by the populace.

Educational institutions should actively encourage their students to choose fields of study that will prepare them for lucrative careers. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position

-Students should have freedom to choose & explore fields of study appealing to them - role of educational institutions-train students in fields of their choice, not actively encourage them to choose fields on the basis of opportunities at lucrative careers - having a lucrative career depends on the individual, and not the field of study; also, changes in gov't policies & economic stability may render these so called lucrative jobs unavailable - First, creates notion that some fields do not lead students to lucrative careers. - depends on student, what they make of the field & how student effectively applies learning in classroom to the real world -ex:, in Nigerian universities, there is a cachet placed on courses like medicine, engineering & law. However, agricultural students are viewed ludicrously, but many of them are able to start lucrative poultry & fish rearing businesses before their counterparts get jobs - Furthermore, continuous availability of these so called lucrative jobs or careers in particular fields is not certain - ex, effect of economic recession -Could argue that educators are helping students make the right decisions for their future careers. - lucrative opportunities are inherent in all fields of study, educators should help students meet aspirations not advice them to take particular fields of study b/c chances at lucrative careers in such areas are apparent

Some people believe that in order to thrive, a society must put its own overall success before the well-being of its individual citizens. Others believe that the well-being of a society can only be measured by the general welfare of all its people. Write a response in which you discuss which view more closely aligns with your own position and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should address both of the views presented.

-The absolute collective good of the state is often a concept susceptible to problematic interpretations, while the welfare of each individual person is an ideal that can hardly be achieved by any society. When a society grasps the intricate balance between the general wellbeing of its population on a macro scale and the individual freedom and right, it will thrive. - For a developing country lacking resource, the society is often faced with the choice between the collective good of the society, often in the form of rapid economical development, and the individual wellbeing. - example, the Chinese Three Gorges Hydro-electricity project now supply a huge proportion of the country's electricity need, sustaining the rise of hundreds of large cities and the livelihood of millions. However, when the gigantic dam was built, thousands of inhabitants around the Yangze River had to leave their hometown behind - However, the concept of collective good becomes problematic when a government is completely indifferent to the basic right of its citizens, especially the minority groups. - abstract notion of collective good is often misused by dictatorship to legitimise their wrongdoings, such as in the case of the Soviet Union -The notion of a greater good is also extremely abstract and subject to multiple interpretations, some of which damage the wellbeing of its society than enhancing it -For example, the rights of LGBTQ society has long been ignored in the US, for the majority of the population believe that they corrupt the moral of the nation. Therefore, a successful society should take particular care to ensure the wellbeing of its voiceless minorities and that not just the majority of the citizens are listened to - the wellbeing of society is achieved by minding the wellbeing and right of its individual citizens, and achieving a fine balance of collective and individual good.

Claim: Any piece of information referred to as a fact should be mistrusted, since it may well be proven false in the future. Reason: Much of the information that people assume is factual actually turns out to be inaccurate. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.

-There is no means by which we can disprove a fact in a short period of time. Therefore, as time goes on, if need arises, facts will change. But, for the present moment we have to assume the facts as true; otherwise, the world will not move on. - First of all, facts are borne out of research work conducted by scientists. - Even these facts get established only after the research paper undergoes severe analysis by eminent professors and peer research scholars. As a result, the facts carry a lot of meaning in them and serve useful to the world. -ex: pluto - we must not forget the fact that they too are human beings and are liable to err, committing mistakes. - information that people assume as facts are probable to be proven false; nevertheless, they must be taken for granted because it is the outcome of the research work done at that particular point of time. - Additionally, if we are to assume each and every fact to be inaccurate, then new innovations cannot be made and we cannot think out of the box -For instance, if we assume Pythagoras theorem to be false or the invention of "pi" value in maths to be baseless without any reason, then we cannot delve into deep researches in the field of Mathematics - Though, occasionally the facts can be proved to be false, but they will take centuries to do so. Of course, as time moves on, change is inevitable. This leads to the conclusion that the facts that were once true, need not be true after a long time. In a nutshell, we must adhere to the facts that exist as of today.

- Claim: We can usually learn much more from people whose views we share than from those whose views contradict our own. Reason: Disagreement can cause stress and inhibit learning. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based.

-Without conflicting and debating, I believe there would no way to improve the society and the world - Because we challenge ideas, we are able to discover and learn important things. Historically, there has been many hypothesis and theories discarded that we thought so true with no doubt. - For instance, people thought the Earth has a flat surface in the past. - contradicting views actually give you more opportunity to explore and learn rather than inhibit learning - While we learn and support the views that we share, the other side of views also rises by finding fallacies of our views -ex: Capitalism/communism -Of course, the life must be easier everyone agree on everything. Since each individual have different personality and lifestyles, basically, it is impossible that we only learn from people we share the same views - I strongly believe that every opinions or views should be considered even though it conflicts with our own despite of stress because it can compensate you more.

Educational institutions have a responsibility to dissuade students from pursuing fields of study in which they are unlikely to succeed. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

-disagree - supposed to be a place where everyone gets equal rights to groom themselves. - not up to any individual to tell somebody whether they will succeed or not in the field one wants to pursue. -exs all through history who have achieved extraordinary things none of us could have imagined -ex: apples founder Steve Jobs. -If institutions get a say in student's career choices, this will deprive students of freedom to choose for themselves. A student needs motivation, encouragement & support of their teachers & peers -Many factors play a role in deciding somebody's success. Cannot be judged at initial stages of life. It's a continuous effort. -Conclusion: Professors should be bolstering students & correcting their way if they go wrong somewhere, but not discouraging.

Scandals are useful b/c they focus our attention on problems in ways that no speaker or reformer ever could. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position

-disagree -destroyed lives & livelihoods of public figures throughout world, soiled reputations, ruined corporations & compromised careers of employees who worked for those companies. -exploited by media & others far beyond its point of usefulness. Exaggerates importance of issue, facts & opinions become obscured & accusations are levied that can have both varying degrees of accuracy as well as extensive destructive effects. -Scandals prey on society's fears & emotions, fueled by ppl who thrive on spectacle. -However, extensive interest & disquiet generated are often disproportionate to the importance of the problems being exposed. -Public should know about companies that scam their customers & about govt leaders who violate public trust. Responsible journalists can report these issues w/out elevating them to monstrous proportions. However, real issues become obscured & ppl resort to nitpicking & character attacks. -If a corporate executive was embezzling company funds, for ex, public should be aware of it. Does public need to know that that person was arrested for drunk driving when he was 18 years old?

College students should be encouraged to pursue subjects that interest them rather than the courses that seem most likely to lead to jobs. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

-it is surely important for every student to think through what field they are going to dedicate themselves to make a living; however, the priority is to find the very field that would give a student the kind of passion to do so - student should pursue the subjects that could really kindle their passion not because of "interest for interest's sake," but because one's interest actually indicates one's calling - College education should empower students to pursue their passion as well as encourage them to utilize what they have learned to benefit the world. - when students are allowed to concentrate on what truly interests them, this makes it possible for them to combine learnings from different disciplines into an unexpected and yet innovative way -ex: Steve Jobs' -I believe that the college education should be reformed in a way to allow students to explore and to pursue their interests instead of following some stifled job-oriented courses which are reckoned as profitable from an uncreative, conventional perspective

Claim: In any field — business, politics, education, government — those in power should step down after five years. Reason: The surest path to success for any enterprise is revitalization through new leadership. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim and the reason on which that claim is based

-leadership is important for success. - doesn't mean leader should step down after 5 yrs or that success of an enterprise can be achieved simply by revitalization through new leadership. - if well-qualified & competent enough to manage enterprise, no reason to replace -ex: steve jobs CEO of apple - leader should step down if he cannot fulfill his responsibility to manage -ex: Bill Gates, Microsoft - besides leadership, success of enterprise can also be attributed to other factors like revitalization through new technology -ex:intel -conclusion: if leader is capable of fulfilling responsibility, he should not be replaced. If no longer qualified, then it is time to be replaced.

There is little justification for society to make extraordinary efforts — especially at a great cost in money and jobs — to save endangered animal or plant species. Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

-many ppl argue that gov't should take extensive measures to protect species which are endangered by human activities in order to protect ecological diversity. I agree -Admittedly, human intervention may yield a bigger chaos to the ecosystem if we make efforts to protect species which are endangered b/c of natural processes, all species in ecosystem are interconnected -ex: wolves/deer/grass - However, doing nothing may cause bigger disaster to humans. As mentioned above, every species is interconnected, which means decrease in # of a species may affect humans -think about a scenario. Extinction of carnivores may increase # of herbivores - Human are the only living thing that can think rationally. As a member of nature, humans have obligation to go extra mile to protect nature - we should make efforts to save the species to the extent that the efforts do not severely disturb the ecosystem.