KTalking-Power-Discussion-1

1.01
DRUG TESTING
Warm up
1. Is drug use common among young people in your community?
2. Do schools take any action against drug abuse?
Today’s topic
Drug abuse is becoming more and more of a problem in our society, not only for adults but
also for school-children. Aside from recreational drug use, another use of drugs which is
on the increase is the use of performance-enhancing drugs used by sportsmen and women.
One way which has been proposed to deal with this dilemma is to introduce random drug
testing at schools.
Initially this may seem like the ideal solution as it will identify drug users at an early age. It is
often difficult to notice if a person is using drugs by sight, so drug testing can be a very
effective strategy. The consequences of the tests will only affect drug users, so those students
who don’t take drugs will not be negatively affected in any way.
On the other hand, random drug testing can be seen as a violation of a person’s right to
privacy. The effect of such a practice may create a hostile environment in schools, if the
students do not feel comfortable in school or even feel threatened by or scared of their
teachers. Moreover, research on random drug testing has yet to prove that it deters
school-children from taking drugs.
Vocabulary
Match each word with the appropriate meaning:
1. recreational (adj) a. furthermore; besides
2. violation (n) b. discourages someone from doing something
3. moreover (adv) c. relating to enjoyment
4. deters (v) d. a breaking of a rule or law
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Discussion
1. Why do schoolchildren feel the need to use performance-enhancing drugs?
2. Is drug-testing a violation of human rights, or is it a necessary evil?
3. How would being chosen for a drug test make students feel?
4. What other strategies can be employed to combat drug use in schools?
Sample answers
1. Why do schoolchildren feel the need to use performance-enhancing drugs?
Perhaps the school environment is very competitive, and as a result, the students are
under pressure to perform. Personally, I don’t think it should be like this, but I suppose
that with sports becoming just as important as careers, it’s understandable.
2. Is drug-testing a violation of human rights, or is it a necessary evil?
This is difficult. While I can see how some people might feel violated by the idea of
random drug-testing, if you do not take drugs, then I do not think you should feel
threatened by it. If you have nothing to hide, you shouldn’t mind having to do it if it will
help other people.
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1. 02
HOMESCHOOLING
Warm up
1. Do you enjoy going to school/university?
2. Would you prefer not to go to school and to study at home?
Today’s topic
The right to an education is one of our fundamental human rights. In most countries,
parents send their children to schools in order to obtain an education. However, there are a
growing number of parents who choose not to send their children to school but rather
educate them at home.
School is often considered to be the ideal learning environment because the teachers are
trained, there are good resources and classes are able to provide a suitable social
environment for the children. The state is able to provide an appropriate, standardized
curriculum for all school students.
Supporters of homeschooling believe that the home is a better learning environment because
the learning can be tailored specifically to a child’s needs, which is not possible in a class of
thirty students. Furthermore, while they agree that interaction with others is crucial to a
child’s development, being schooled at home does not mean that the child is isolated. Instead,
there are numerous social and extra-mural clubs which homeschooled children still have
access to. Finally, it is believed that parents should be able to choose the manner in which
they want their child to be educated.
Vocabulary
Match each word with the appropriate meaning:
1. fundamental (adj) a. created according to an accepted level
2. ideal (adj) b. made or adapted for a particular purpose
3. standardized (adj) c. most suitable; perfect
4. tailored (v) d. of central importance; basic
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Discussion
1. Is it a disadvantage for a child to be educated at home?
2. Why might a child want to learn at home?
3. Would all parents be able to homeschool their children?
4. What skills can be learnt at school more easily than at home, and vice versa?
Sample answers
1. Is it a disadvantage for a child to be educated at home?
It could be. I think it depends on the quality of the homeschooling and the quality of the
education at school. Maybe the school is not a very good school, or perhaps the parents
are not very good teachers. It varies depending on the situation.
2. Why might a child want to learn at home?
Maybe the child has been bullied at school, and consequently, being at school makes
them anxious or nervous. Maybe the child has a learning disability or an emotional
problem, which would indicate that staying at home might be a better option than going
to school.
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1.03
JUNK FOOD
Warm up
1. Do you have a healthy diet? How often do you eat junk food?
2. Do you think people generally eat a lot of junk food?
Today’s topic
Junk food is food that is, by definition, unhealthy. It usually contains large amounts of salt,
sugar or fat and dieticians recommend that we avoid any kind of junk food. Junk food is
nevertheless very popular and consequently obesity rates have gone up in most countries.
In other words, people around the world are getting fatter, and junk food is to blame.
This problem affects people of all ages. Children are often able to obtain junk food at school,
either from vending machines or from school canteens. While schools may come under
criticism for making junk food freely available at schools, expense is often cited as a reason
for this, as healthy food is known to be more expensive.
The fact remains that children enjoy junk food and so there is a demand for it. It is thought
that prohibiting junk food at school will be an unpopular choice and will ultimately not be
effective anyway, as students will bring junk food with them to school. If children are not
eating the food provided by the school, this will mean that parents will need to provide lunch
for their children. It is difficult to decide whether this is an issue for schools or parents to
deal with.
Vocabulary
Match each word with the appropriate meaning:
1. avoid (v) a. the state of being extremely overweight
2. obesity (n) b. not allowing, usually by law
3. cited (v) c. keep away from
4. prohibiting (v) d. quoted and used as evidence
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Discussion
1. Is it acceptable to claim that rising obesity rates are the result of junk food in schools?
2. How would parents feel about banning junk food in schools?
3. Should enforcing healthy eating habits be the responsibility of schools or parents?
4. What role do schoolchildren play in this debate?
Sample answers
1. Is it acceptable to claim that rising obesity rates are the result of junk food in schools?
Not really. While junk food certainly contributes to obesity, it isn’t the only cause. Many
people are physically inactive, and many people overeat. In fact, certain medical
problems can also lead to obesity. Usually there are a number of factors at play, not just
one, and it’s the combination of those factors that cause people to put on weight.
2. How would parents feel about banning junk food in schools?
I think some parents would support it, but those parents are probably quite healthy. The
parents who lead unhealthy lives and encourage their children to do the same are the
problem. If there isn’t junk food in schools, it will still be available at home.
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1.04
MARRIAGE
Warm up
1. Describe your family. Are your parents or siblings married, divorced or single with
children?
2. Is your family situation very “normal”, according to society?
Today’s topic
It has long been accepted that when a man and a woman meet and fall in love, they should
get married and have children. These days, circumstances can be very different and
relationships are perhaps not as conventional as before. It is now not uncommon to get
divorced, to have children out of wedlock, to be a single parent or to live together before
getting married.
Marriage is a legal and religious agreement between two people and supposedly provides a
stable environment in which to raise a child. However, a large majority of marriages (50%
in some countries) fail and end in divorce, which does not support this argument.
Furthermore, there are many marriages which do not reinforce the idealistic concept of
marriage.
It can be argued that a relationship does not need the legality of a marriage certificate to be
able to provide a stable and loving environment. On the other hand, a marriage is a legal
contract so it could arguably provide more motivation for the participants to stay together.
Unconventional relationships may also still be met with disapproval from their
communities.
Vocabulary
Match each word with the appropriate meaning:
1. conventional (adj) a. emotionally well-balanced
2. stable (adj) b. based on what is normally done
3. idealistic (adj) c. having or expressing an unfavorable opinion
4. disapproval (n) d. unrealistically aiming for perfection
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Discussion
1. What do you think the reasons are for the high divorce rate in some countries? Why is
this different in different countries?
2. How does divorce affect the children involved?
3. Is a marriage certificate a good reason to stay together?
4. Can you think of any other proof of commitment that can be undertaken, apart from
getting married?
Sample answers
1. What do you think the reasons are for the high divorce rate in some countries? Why is
this different in different countries?
In some countries, people may be more likely to stay married as a result of cultural
norms. Maybe their parents would disapprove of divorce, so the couple chooses to stay
together even though they wouldn’t under different circumstances. Maybe marriages are
seen differently in different countries, so the expectations of marriage vary as well.
2. How does divorce affect the children involved?
I think it can go either way. Children can benefit from divorce if the relationship between
their parents was not great, or even abusive, but I think it will always be hard for them. If
children are very young, they may not understand why their parents no longer want to
live together.
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1.05
MOBILE PHONES
Warm up
1. Do you own a mobile phone? How old were you when you got your first one?
2. What do you use your mobile phone for?
Today’s topic
Nowadays, mobile phones are very common. They can be used for messaging, taking photos,
playing games and music, accessing the internet and many other things. As mobile phones
have become more popular globally, they have become more affordable too, with the result
that many children now have their own mobile phones. However, many people believe that
this is a bad idea.
The strongest argument for allowing a child to have a mobile phone is safety. Mobile phones
enable parents to be able to get hold of their children if necessary, or vice versa. In practice,
though, it is sometimes not that straightforward. Children are becoming very tech-savvy
(possibly more so than their parents) and it is not difficult to miss a call, ignore a message
or even turn off the phone; in other words, become unreachable.
Supporters also argue that as mobile phones are now an integral part of the modern world
and its dependence on technology for social and educational purposes, becoming
comfortable with technology from an early age will be of great benefit to children later in
their lives. Then again, a pre-occupation with technology can be anti-social and using
mobile phones has been linked to long-term health risks.
Vocabulary
Match each word with the appropriate meaning:
1. vice versa (adv) a. pay no attention to
2. tech-savvy (adj) b. well-informed about or good at using
technology
3. ignore (v) c. the other way around
4. pre-occupation (n) d. the state of being completely
fascinated by something
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Discussion
1. How serious do you think the health effects of using mobile phones are?
2. Is the argument for using mobile phones for safety a strong one, in your opinion?
3. What other dangers are there for allowing a child to own a mobile phone?
4. Would you let your child have a mobile phone? Why? From what age?
Sample answers
1. How serious do you think the health effects of using mobile phones are?
I’m not sure that they are particularly serious. If you think about computer games or TV,
I believe those are more dangerous to your health than mobile phones. I don’t think we
use mobile phones long enough for them to cause health problems. Some people watch
TV for hours every day.
2. Is the argument for using mobile phones for safety a strong one, in your opinion?
Yes, I think it is. I don’t think mobile phones are a good way for parents to keep track of
their children, but I think it’s a good idea for children to have mobile phones in case they
need to contact their parents for some reason.
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