English Recordings

Hunger

Topic: Some people believe that education is the key to tackling hunger worldwide while others feel that the answer is in food aid. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

Model answer:

Many feel that education is the best way to tackle hunger while others feel that immediate food aid is a better solution. As far as I’m concerned, education is clearly the better long-term remedy.

Many charities are active in food aid efforts because of its clear impact in emergency situations. A good example of this would be famines in a sub-Saharan African nations. These are caused by unpredictable weather conditions and coupled with governmental instability can result in mass malnutrition and even death. It is impossible to deal with the sources of these famines over time but food aid addresses its symptoms and keeps actual people alive now. The tangible results of this kind of aid are the strongest arguments in its favour.

Although the above mentioned methods are appropriate in emergencies, they do little to disrupt the underlying causes of hunger. If people are better educated then they can get better jobs and hunger disappears as a problem. There may be other relevant economic realities, such as the unemployment rate, that need addressing but education will still go a long way to eradicating hunger. Education can also help in regions that are prone to hunger as farmers will be able to develop better agricultural methods. Simply put, if citizens have good jobs, there is little real threat of hunger even under exceptional circumstances.

In conclusion, although food aid has its use, I feel education is a clearly better option. Governments ought to divert more resources into education to see world hunger ended over the course of the next century.

News Media Influence

Topic: Some people think that the news media has become much more influential in people’s lives today and it is a negative development. Do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

It is commonly held that the news has become an invasive force in people’s everyday lives. In my opinion, I completely disagree with this viewpoint because the news contributes greatly to the decision making process of discerning citizens.

Modern news media properly consumed improves its readership’s ability to make quality decisions regarding their own interests. One standout example of this is the way that people follow political issues. In democratic countries, it is difficult to argue that there is anything more important than staying informed of political developments. When Americans learned about the harmful effects of global warming on our environment they began to advocate, through the ballot box and general public sentiment, for reforms. This has led to the election and overhaul of policies related to environmental conservation and is the direct result of information gleaned from experts on the news.

Some rightly argue that the news is not always trustworthy. Individuals and organisations are always attempting to twist the news to their advantage. A good example of this would be the recent rise of online news. Online news goes up immediately and is therefore much more likely to contain mistakes than news verified and published in newspapers. Retractions in newspapers are rarely read and they are almost unheard of for online news, despite their increasing frequency. This is a decided consequence of the way people consume news today but readers can avoid this by only trusting reputable sources like The New York Times or the BBC and not naively believing every article they happen across.

In conclusion, I believe that the merits of staying informed far outweigh any perceived drawbacks. People should take the time to find reliable news sources and vet the articles most pertinent to them.

Stress

Topic: Many psychologists recommend that the best way to relieve stress is to do nothing at all for a period of time during the day. Do you agree or disagree?

Model answer:

One of the most pressing issues for first world countries is how to reduce their stress levels and this has led some psychologists to propose a daily period of rest. Although I think that daily rest would be helpful, it is more important to take an active role in stress relief.

Proponents of a rest period suggest that taking a break has proven health benefits related to stress reduction. It is very common in Latin American countries and some Southeast Asian countries to take an afternoon ‘siesta’ or short nap before resuming work. Research has supported the myriad health benefits related to this stress-free period. It lowers blood pressure, increases serotonin in the brain, and aids memory function. Besides the statistics from studies that breaks reduce stress, there is also anecdotal evidence that taking a break energises people in both the short and long term. Plowing on without breaks, on the contrary, can lead to an increase in stress and has been linked to related health problems.

Instead of taking a rest, I believe that joining a team sport will do more to relieve stress. Doctors and scientists agree that exercise is the best way to cut down on stress overall. In most parts of the world, football is the most common sport both to watch and participate in. Playing football reduces your stress by releasing endorphins in the brain that make people happier, strengthening the heart to better withstand stressful situations, and helping people to relax by working in a team towards a shared goal. The teamwork aspect cannot be underestimated, and is integral to most sports, as it does more to reduce stress and reset your body for a new day than any other activity.

To conclude, although taking a rest certainly helps reduce stress, the best way to unwind is to play a sport. People should set aside time at least once a week to partake in team sporting activities.

Mmm

- Can you introduce yourself?
- I'm John. I live in England, I'm fourteen, and I have two little sisters - Lucie and Julia.
- When is your birthday?
- My birthday is on the 25th of January.
- I want to get a bike for my birthday because I broke mine and for now, I've no choice but to use my sister's.
- There's nothing wrong with it, except that it's pink.
- The boys in the neighborhood saw me riding it last Tuesday, and they made fun of me for 10 minutes.

Volcanoes needn't erupt constantly to be classified as "active".
Nowadays it needn't cost a fortune to own an e-book reader.
I need not have told you about that.
I was very nervous before the interview, but I needn't have worried - I got the job.
High school dropouts need not apply. = they should not apply because they will not get the job
To give permission not to do something we can use "needn't"
You needn't cut the grass, I'll do it later.
This need not mean drastically reducing food intake.
You needn't worry about me. I'll be fine.

He has got long black wavy hair and a black beard. He is very tall.
She has got long brown wavy hair and brown eyes. She has got a tie.
He has got short straight red hair and blue eyes.
He has got short straight blond hair and green eyes.
He has got short brown hair, green eyes, glasses and a scar. He has got a tie.

What if you were a volunteer?

Would you… ?

1. donate money
...
2. demonstrate in the strret
...
3. protest in the street
...
4. adopt a pet or a stray dog
...
5. give food to homeless people
...
6. collect trash, clean the beach
...
7. donate second hand stuff like toys, books
...
9. sign a petition
...
10. work in a charity

I want to know

In spoken English, the verb "GET" sometimes replaces the verb "BE" in passive sentences.
Teddy got injured playing baseball.
My best friend got picked to be the school president.
My umbrella got destroyed in the storm.
All the pizza got eaten quickly.
These are very important issues that must not get lost in all the details.
My favorite cup got broken.
Vanessa got promoted to program director!
The company’s server got hacked last week.