2004_01_Session_A_sample speeches

A. Japan’s declining birthrate-national crisis?

Many developed nations in Europe have declining birthrates. Such as situations leads to closures of schools, fewer jobs in the childcare and education sectors, and ultimately means that children living in low population density areas have to travel further for these facilities. Japan is faced with all these problems, but they are compounded by the fact that the nation also has one of the oldest populations in the world.

At the current rate of population aging, there will come a time when the number of taxpayers is not sufficient to support the number of pensioners. Is this a national crisis? Well, the answer is probably that it is nit a crisis yet, but it may become one if the necessary preventative measures are not put in place. The government has to act now to reform the pension system. Proper provisions for the future must be made. These could involve several things. One might be to offer financial subsidies to large families, making cheaper for them to have children and put them through school. Another might be to encourage workers to invest in private pension schemes now so that they can provide for themselves in their old age. Lastly, we might consider raising the age of compulsory retirement so that people who are still willing and able to work are nit forced to retire.

Japan is faced with all these problems, but they are compounded by the fact that the nation also has one of the oldest populations in the world. At the current rate of population aging, there will come a time when the number of taxpayers is not sufficient to support the number of pensioners. Is this a national crisis? Well, the answer is probably that it is not a crisis yet, but it may become one if the necessary preventative measures are not put in place. The government has to act now to reform the pension system. Proper provisions for the future must be made. These could involve several things. One might be to offer financial subsidies to large families, making cheaper for them to have children and put them through school. Another might be to encourage workers to invest in private pension schemes now so that they can provide for themselves in their old age.

Lastly, we might consider raising the age of compulsory retirement so that people who are still willing and able to work are nit forced to retire.

B. Cars-convenience vs. environmental concerns

We all know that cars are bad for the environment. Firstly, they burn fossil fuels and therefore create pollution problems on both a local and global scale. Secondly, many parts and fluids that are contained in a car, such as the toxic substances in batteries, are not biodegradable and cannot easily be disposed of after they have worn out. And thirdly, the construction of roads and freeways upon which cars come and go causes destruction of forests and involves the laying of tarmac, a material use to cover the ground and which is harmful to the soil and groundwater. However, if cars are indeed evil, a the present time they seem to be an evil that we find necessary. They take us from place to place. They are a far more comfortable means of transportation than public transport. And they are absolutely necessary for people living in the countryside, where there are few bus or train routes. For these reasons I don’t think we can do away with cars. Our civilization has become totally dependent on cars, and it would be a huge step backward if we were to do away with them. The alternative is to make cars environmentally friendly. For a start, we must develop cars that run on electricity or other non-polluting, renewable sources of energy, such as hydrogen or solar power. In addition, the entire car-every part-should be recyclable. Packaged in an attractive body and provided with a cheap price-tag, this new and exciting green car would be popular with the consumers. And, it would certainly help alleviate the damage to the environmental that the present-day car causes without compromising our modern, convenient lifestyles.

However, if cars are indeed evil,at the present time they seem to be an evil that we find necessary. They take us from place to place. They are a far more comfortable means of transportation than public transport. And they are absolutely necessary for people living in the countryside, where there are few bus or train routes. For these reasons I don’t think we can do away with cars. Our civilization has become totally dependent on cars, and it would be a huge step backward if we were to do away with them. The alternative is to make cars environmentally friendly. For a start, we must develop cars that run on electricity or other non-polluting, renewable sources of energy, such as hydrogen or solar power.

In addition, the entire car-every part-should be recyclable. Packaged in an attractive body and provided with a cheap price-tag, this new and exciting green car would be popular with the consumers. And, it would certainly help alleviate the damage to the environmental that the present-day car causes without compromising our modern, convenient lifestyles.

D. Is the Internet bringing the world’s cultures closer together?

A good case can be made for the notion that the Internet is bringing the people of the world closer together. It seems to be happening in two ways. Firstly, by email, billboards and the proliferation of online games and chat rooms. This medium of communication is cheap; the cost of a local phone call or monthly subscription to your server. It means you can “meet” all kinds of people that you wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to meet in your everyday life. Secondly, the staggering amount of information on the Internet means we can read materials posted by organizations or individuals in other cultures. Indeed, people surfing the Internet are being exposed to a new kind of information. Previously, most us read or saw only what was distributed by media organizations, such as TV stations or magazines with world-wide readerships, but now anyone can make their own homepage, air their views, and be certain that other people will read them. But to come back to the original notion that the Internet is bringing the peoples of the world closer together, well, it may be too soon to assert that this is absolutely true. The fact that the peoples of the world have more exposure to each other does not necessary mean that they understand each other better. However, it is hoped that this is a first step towards international understanding.

A good case can be made for the notion that the Internet is bringing the people of the world closer together. It seems to be happening in two ways.

Firstly, by email, billboards and the proliferation of online games and chat rooms. This medium of communication is cheap; the cost of a local phone call or monthly subscription to your server. It means you can “meet” all kinds of people that you wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to meet in your everyday life. Secondly, the staggering amount of information on the Internet means we can read materials posted by organizations or individuals in other cultures. Indeed, people surfing the Internet are being exposed to a new kind of information. Previously, most of us read or saw only what was distributed by media organizations, such as TV stations or magazines with world-wide readerships, but now anyone can make their own homepage, air their views, and be certain that other people will read them. But to come back to the original notion that the Internet is bringing the peoples of the world closer together, well, it may be too soon to assert that this is absolutely true.

The fact that the peoples of the world have more exposure to each other does not necessary mean that they understand each other better. However, it is hoped that this is a first step towards international understanding.

CD (4) – 7

C. Should developed nations do more to help developing nations?

Of course, the answer must be “yes”. Few people would argue against rich countries helping poor ones. Large amounts of money have been provided in the past, but unfortunately most foreign aid comes with strings attached or in the form of loans. That is why developing nations have huge debts that they have to repay to the more developed nations. “Third World Debt” has crippled the economies of most developing nations. Forced to pay off huge debts, these nations have no money left over to develop their own infrastructures. Although there is a growing movement among industrialized nations to simply write-off these staggering debts, these alone is not enough. In the future, aid must be used to encourage the development of long-term, sustainable industries. In addition, these industries must be environmentally friendly. Many developing countries have resources such as timber and oil which are being depleted at alarming rates and which may run out in 30 to 40 years. Lastly, and this is perhaps the most difficult obstacle to overcome, developing nations must prove themselves worthy of the aid by stamping out corruption within their own governments. Corruption politicians are too often allowed to siphon off money from government programs into their own pockets, leaving people in the countryside with nothing.

“Third World Debt” has crippled the economies of most developing nations. Forced to pay off huge debts, these nations have no money left over to develop their own infrastructures. Although there is a growing movement among industrialized nations to simply write-off these staggering debts, these alone is not enough. In the future, aid must be used to encourage the development of long-term, sustainable industries. In addition, these industries must be environmentally friendly. Many developing countries have resources such as timber and oil which are being depleted at alarming rates and which may run out in 30 to 40 years. Lastly, and this is perhaps the most difficult obstacle to overcome, developing nations must prove themselves worthy of the aid by stamping out corruption within their own governments.

Corrupt politicians are too often allowed to siphon off money from government programs into their own pockets, leaving people in the countryside with nothing.

D. Will newspaper become obsolete in the Internet-driven 21^st century?

Newspapers have been around generations and will surely be around for many generations to come. Undoubtedly, the will evolve and, like all industries, become linked to the Internet. Already most newspapers have extensive websites where their articles can be viewed or delivered to readers’ email addresses. But I do not believe that newspapers will be replaced by the Internet. There are several reasons for this. It is far more pleasurable to browse through a paper, to see the whole page at a glance and to focus in on interesting articles than it is to follow links on a small computer screen. It is also easier on the eye after looking at for too long. I find it quiet relaxing to read a newspaper over breakfast or on the train to work. I certainly wouldn’t want to turn on a computer screen at those times, as it would feel like I was already at work. Lastly, I believe people like to make a statement about themselves by carrying a newspaper, and more so, a particular newspaper, under their arm when they are out and about. Rather like the clothes they wear, what they read is a part of their identity. So, just as the advent of daily television news programs didn’t signal the end of newspapers, the Internet won’t either.

Newspapers have been around generations and will surely be around for many generations to come. Undoubtedly, this will evolve and, like all industries, become linked to the Internet.

Already most newspapers have extensive websites where their articles can be viewed or delivered to readers’ email addresses. But I do not believe that newspapers will be replaced by the Internet. There are several reasons for this. It is far more pleasurable to browse through a paper, to see the whole page at a glance and to focus in on interesting articles than it is to follow links on a small computer screen. It is also easier on the eye after looking at for too long. I find it quiet relaxing to read a newspaper over breakfast or on the train to work. I certainly wouldn’t want to turn on a computer screen at those times, as it would feel like I was already at work. Lastly, I believe people like to make a statement about themselves by carrying a newspaper, and more so, a particular newspaper, under their arm when they are out and about. Rather like the clothes they wear, what they read is a part of their identity. So, just as the advent of daily television news programs didn’t signal the end of newspapers, the Internet won’t either. Newspapers have been around generations and will surely be around for many generations to come. Undoubtedly, the will evolve and, like all industries, become linked to the Internet. Already most newspapers have extensive websites where their articles can be viewed or delivered to readers’ email addresses. But I do not believe that newspapers will be replaced by the Internet. There are several reasons for this. It is far more pleasurable to browse through a paper, to see the whole page at a glance and to focus in on interesting articles than it is to follow links on a small computer screen. It is also easier on the eye after looking at for too long. I find it quiet relaxing to read a newspaper over breakfast or on the train to work. I certainly wouldn’t want to turn on a computer screen at those times, as it would feel like I was already at work.

Lastly, I believe people like to make a statement about themselves by carrying a newspaper, and more so, a particular newspaper, under their arm when they are out and about. Rather like the clothes they wear, what they read is a part of their identity. So, just as the advent of daily television news programs didn’t signal the end of newspapers, the Internet won’t either.

E. World peace-a realistic future possibility?

Throughout the entire history civilization, there has always been a war occurring somewhere on the planet. I’m afraid I cannot see this changing in the foreseeable future. It has been said that if there were just ten men left in the world, they would somehow divide themselves into fractions and find a reason to fight each other. The problem with human beings is that we identify ourselves by joining with people who are similar to ourselves. We might identify with race or nationality, with political ideology, or religious beliefs, or even with a sports team, and once we have formed a group we oppose other groups. Then there are always a few fanatics who will quickly escalate misunderstandings into full-blown conflicts.

Now it might be true that the United Nations has become a forum where political conflicts can be debated and increasingly resolved without war. However, it seems to me that, as time goes by, we will come up with new reasons to go to war. As the world’s population increases, there will be fewer resources to go round. I have heard, for example, that countries in the future will stat wars over who controls rivers and other water supplies.

Throughout the entire history of civilization, there has always been a war occurring somewhere on the planet. I’m afraid I cannot see this changing in the foreseeable future.

It has been said that if there were just ten men left in the world, they would somehow divide themselves into fractions and find a reason to fight each other. The problem with human beings is that we identify ourselves by joining with people who are similar to ourselves. We might identify with race or nationality, with political ideology, or religious beliefs, or even with a sports team, and once we have formed a group we oppose other groups. Then there are always a few fanatics who will quickly escalate misunderstandings into full-blown conflicts. Now it might be true that the United Nations has become a forum where political conflicts can be debated and increasingly resolved without war. However, it seems to me that, as time goes by, we will come up with new reasons to go to war.

As the world’s population increases, there will be fewer resources to go round. I have heard, for example, that countries in the future will start wars over who controls rivers and other water supplies.