Cambridge Essay Questions – by Theme Sports...............................................................................................................................................2 Social Issues.....................................................................................................................................2

Personal...............................................................................................................

...........................2 Ethics/

Morality.................................................................................................................

...............3

Health...................................................................................................................

..........................3 Social

trends...................................................................................................................

.................4 Animal

rights....................................................................................................................

................4

The Mass

Media...............................................................................................................................5

Education..............................................................................................................................

............5 Crime and

Punishment.....................................................................................................................6

Prejudice &

Discrimination................................................................................................................6

The Role of Men, Women and Family in

Society..............................................................................6 Teen

Issues...................................................................................................................................

...6 Work &

Leisure.................................................................................................................................

7

Culture..................................................................................................................................

............7 The Arts (in

general).........................................................................................................................7

Language..............................................................................................................................

............9

Literature...............................................................................................................................

............9

Population.............................................................................................................................

............9

Poverty..................................................................................................................................

............9

Nationalism...........................................................................................................................

............9 War and

Terrorism..........................................................................................................................10

History...................................................................................................................................

..........10 Regionalism &

Internationalism......................................................................................................10

Politics..................................................................................................................................

..........11

Economics............................................................................................................................

..........12

Environment..........................................................................................................................

..........12 Science &

Technology....................................................................................................................13

S’pore

Questions............................................................................................................................1

3

Others...................................................................................................................................

..........14

Sports

1. What effects has commercialisation had upon sport? (1989)

2. Does sport always contribute to international harmony and understanding? (1993)

3. ‘Sports which contain the risk of serious physical injury or death should be banned.’How far do you agree with this view? (1996) 4. ‘What is important is not winning, but taking part.’ How realistic is this attitude in the world of sport today? (1997) 5. Is sport too closely linked to money these days? (2001) Social Issues

Personal

1. How do you measure success in life? (1982)

2. “The greatest thing in the world is to be self-sufficient.” Do you agree? (1985)

3. “Neither a borrower nor a lender be.” Should we follow this advice in our lives today?

(1989)

4. Choose one modern or historical person you most admire and justify your choice.

(1991)

5. If you could choose to be endowed with a great gift or talent, whichone would you

choose, and why?(1992)

6. ‘A life without challenge and risk is not worth living.’ How far do you agree with this

view? (1995)

7. How important is discipline in society? (1995)

8. Is greater life expectancy always desirable? (1996)

9. Consider the value in life of planning. (1996)

10. ‘Human beings have unlimited desires, but limited resources.’ Is it possible to

reconcile the two? (1998)

11. Do arguments ever settle anything? (1999)

12. ‘The secret of a happy life is moderation in all things.’ Discuss. (1999)

13. ‘Being in fashion makes a person popular; being different makes a person special.’

Discuss. (1999)

14. A life of total luxury – dream or nightmare? (2000)

15. Is it always important to succeed? (2000)

16. Is friendly rivalry ever possible? (2002)

17. ‘The only worthwhile form of discipline is self-discipline.’ Discuss. (2003)

Ethics/ Morality

18. What are “good manners”? Are they important? (1985)

19. Should all forms of gambling be abolished? (1989)

20. Franklin D. Roosevelt said that the world should be founded upon four freedoms:

freedom of speech;freedom of worship; freedom from want and freedom from fear. Which, in your opinion, is the most important freedom? (1990)

21. ‘Far too little attention is paid to the needs of the handicapped.’ Discuss. (1990)

22. ‘Money is the root of all evil.’ Do you agree? (1991)

23. Can telling lies ever be justified? (1992)

24. ‘The truth should always be told, whatever the cost.’ Should it? (1993)

25. ‘The strong do what they will; the weak do what they must.’ Discuss. (1994)

26. Should promises always be kept? (1995)

27. Is personal morality the concern of the State? (1996)

28. ‘One’s first duty is to one’s nation; only afterwards to oneself and one’s family.’

Discuss. (1996)

29. ‘Where business and industry are concerned, the profit motive must always be the

main priority.’Is this attitude acceptable? (1998) 30. ‘The first duty of a doctor has always been to preserve life.’ How far can this principle still be maintained? (1998) 31. ‘Idealism brings disillusionment; realism brings results.’ Discuss. (2000) 32. Can the trade in weapons ever be justified? (2002)

Health

33. Which is the more important, to cure disease or to prevent it? (1985)

34. Should tobacco-smoking be discouraged or even banned? (1986)

35. What diseases are most prevalent in your part of the world and how can they be

combated? (1987)

36. How can we as individuals become healthier? (1988)

37. Discuss the ways in which attitudes to health have changed in your society and the

effects which haveresulted. (1994)

38. ‘A preoccupation with physical fitness is the curse of modern life.’ Do you agree?

(1999)

39. How far do you agree that health is the responsibility of the State, not of the

individual? (2000)

40. ‘If people become ill it is largely their own fault.’ How far do you agree? (2002)

www.thegptutor.com 4

Social trends 41. In what ways is the life style in your country changing today? (1987) 42. Loneliness is becoming an increasing social problem. Discuss the possible causes and suggest some remedies. (1991) 43. What changes would you like to see in today’s society? (1992) 44. ‘Modern methods of transport have transformed our world into a village.’ Is this a blessing or a curse? (1992) 45. Should human beings look forward to the next century more with optimism than pessimism? (1997) 46. ‘I am a Millionaire. That is my religion.’ To what extent has the pursuit of wealth become the modern goal? (2000)

47. Is it true that the old must now learn from the young? (2000)

48. ‘In the modern world, image is everything.’ Discuss. (2000)

49. Do you think that life today offers us too many choices? (2001)

50. Do you agree that city life is becoming increasingly unattractive? (2002)

51. To what extent are the young in Singapore favoured at the expense of the elderly?

(2004)

52. Discuss the importance of religion in society today. (2004)

Animal rights

53. Are you for or against zoos? (1986)

54. ‘The place for animals is in the wild, not in zoos or circuses.’ Do you agree? (1993)

55. Do animals have rights and, if so, should they be protected? (1995)

56. Can the transplanting of animal organs into human beings ever be justified? (1999)

57. Is there a case for keeping animals in zoos? (2002)