Bài tập ôn thi B2 - Expressing and justifying an opinion

Expressing and justifying an opinion
Personally, I think / believe that .. because .
In my opinion,.. This is because ..
From my point of view, 
My own feeling is 
Well, first of all, ..
The first point I’d like to make is that ..
Let me explain.
In my view .
I doubt.
To my mind, .
I reckon . 
I suppose .
I guess .
I’m not sure if .
For me, .
Suggesting solutions and giving answers / examples
Let me give you an example.
A case in point is .
Let me explain why I think that.
For one thing, they could .., and for another, 
Personally, I think that .. / I would choose 
Well, I think we should .
It would probably be better if we .
Perhaps we could ..
We might be able to .
Speculating
Might/may/could
It’s possible that .
I can’t see that happening.
I think it’s quite likely that .
It’s highly unlikely that .
There may/might be .
Maybe/perhaps, there will be 
One possibility is that .
I don’t know for sure, but .
I’d say it’s fairly likely that .
It all depends on 
My prediction is that .
That doesn’t seem very likely to me.
There is a strong possibility that 
It might / could be that case that .
There is every chance that .
I can say without doubt that 
No one can predict whether 
It’s impossible to say .
This will probably mean that 
What I think will happen is that .
It’s very likely / unlikely that .
Probably / probably not.
Will definitely / probably / probably won’t .
Cycling to college or taking public transport might help.
It’s possible that we could do more to recycle our rubbish.
It’s unlikely that some countries will reduce their CO2 emission.
It would probably help if people stopped using fossil fuels.
Useful language: Clarification
What I mean is that .
Let me put this another way .
What I am trying to say is .
My point is that .
Useful language:
I’m not an expert, but .
I read somewhere that .
That’s a real possibility.
It has many implications.
There’s a question mark over .
Yes, in theory .., but in practice .
I suppose so.
Speaking personally, .
That’s crucial.
Useful language: Adverbs for agreement and disagreement:
I absolutely / completely / fully / totally / entirely agree
I completely / totally / really disagree
I disagree completely
I don’t agree at all.
I agree up to a point but .
I agree to an extent but 
I partly agree but .
What do you think about the way food is produced nowadays (factory farming, GM food, organic food)?
I think factory farming should be banned because it is cruel and unnatural. I always try to buy organic food even if sometimes it is more expensive.
Do you think all children should learn to cook at school?
In my opinion, all children should be taught to cook at school. The second point I’d like to make is that if children learned what a healthy diet is at school, then there wouldn’t be as much obesity as there is now.
What role do fast food and junk food play in your country?
I believe that fast food plays a great role in my country. Let me explain. Fifty years ago, everyone used to sit down as a family to eat dinner. Nowadays, they prefer to sit in front of the TV eating a hamburger.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of one-to-one lessons?
One-to-one lessons have several advantages. First of all, you can have the teacher’s attention all the time. Secondly, you can study at a speed that suits you. Finally, you have to think for yourself.
On the other hand one-to-one lessons have several disadvantages. First, you can’t learn from other students. Second, you don’t have the possibility of developing ideas together. Finally, you don’t have a chance to relax.
 history teach us anything or is it a waste of time?
I consider that society could learn a great deal from the study of history because history has a habit of repeating itself.
Do you think history is taught well?
Personally, I think it is a subject that really needs a teacher who is imaginative and has a real interest in history. Let me give you an example of how NOT to teach history. If a teacher just reads out a list of dates, then it can become very boring and the class will be totally unmotivated
What could be done to make students want to study history?
For one thing, a teacher could take you to places of historical interest and really make you understand what was happening at the time. For another, he or she could show you films of famous people or battles to make the subject more alive.
Do you think students should have more choice in which area of history they study? What would you choose?
Yes, there are so many periods of history that are interesting. For example, the Egyptian civilization or the Romans; the Ming dynasty in China or the history of the Otto man Empire. I think I would choose to study more modern history – American Independence for example.
Do you ever advertise products or companies, for example buy recommending them to friends?
Yes, I sometimes do. For instance, I told my friends about my mobile phone because I thought it was very smart.
Yes, I sometimes do. Maybe I’ll stop doing it because I don’t want to provide free advertising for companies.
No, I don’t. The reason is that one of my friends does it all the time, and it gets very boring.
I’ve never thought about it. I suppose I do, because carrying a plastic bag with a company’s name on it is a form of advertising.
I’ve never thought about it. I’m not sure I would want to, but perhaps it’s hard to avoid.
Do you ever advise people not to buy certain products?
I do occasionally, for instance if I’ve bought something and been very disappointed with it.
Does advertising affect what you buy?
I’m not sure. Maybe it does because wherever you go, you see or hear ads.
Does advertising make you want things you can’t afford to buy?
I suppose it does, occasionally. I once bought a very expensive mobile phone because I thought it looked good in the ads. I didn’t need it since I already had a mobile.
How important is it to try to win when you’re playing a sport?
(playing for pleasure, getting exercise, developing teamwork)
For lots of people, sport is all about winning, but in my opinion, it’s more important to get plenty of exercise. So trying to win is good if it encourages you to run faster.
Do sports like football need expensive stadiums or equipment – isn’t it enough to have a group of people, a piece of land and a ball?
(professional players, amateurs, spectators, developing skills)
It seems to me that stadiums and equipment are useful because they make sport seem glamorous, and that means more people take part. Ideally, people would play even if there weren’t any stadiums or expensive equipment, to develop their skills and keep fit.
Why have some sports become fashionable, and is this a good thing?
(television, newspapers, celebrity sportspeople)
- I think the media create celebrities. There’s so much in the papers and on TV about David Beckham and other sportspeople that the general public focus on individuals rather than on sports themselves. I think this makes people believe that they can be stars, too, so it encourages them to try, and that’s good.
Should sports in which people can get hurt be banned?
(everyday risks, protective clothing, first aid)
There are so many everyday risks, for instance crossing a road or boiling water. You can’t ban everything, so I don’t think sports should be banned, either. It’s more important to encourage people to be careful.
Do you believe the theory that too much choice is bad for you?
Yes, I quite agree with this idea. What I mean is that when I go into a shop, I find it completely mind-boggling when I have a huge choice, and in the end, I tend to walk out without buying anything.
What choices did you have to make today?
I had to choose whether to have tea or coffee, whether to have an apple or a fattening pastry and also whether to go to the cinema tonight with a friend or stay at home and do some coursework.
Have you ever had to make a really difficult choice?
No really, nothing very important. I suppose I’m quite lucky in a way.
If you have to choose between two things, how do you personally make that decision? Do you toss a coin, decide on the evidence.?
Well, first of all I weigh up the evidence carefully. Then I go to bed. Let me put this another way: I think trying to sleep on a decision is probably the best way to come to a good decision.
Do you think you can tell what someone’s personality type is by the colour they normally wear?
I haven’t thought about it before but I guess, yes. It may be possible to tell someone’s personality by looking at their clothes. For example, if you wear black all the time, it probably means that on the whole you are a gloomy type of person, very pessimistic, but also that you are probably very strong-willed.
In your country, do any colours have a particular significance? What colour do people wear at weddings or funerals, for instance?
In my country, people generally wear white for weddings and black for funerals. Red is used for danger.
What do you think is the role of colour in our lives?
I think, as a rule, colour plays an enormous part in our lives. What would the world be like without colour??? Very sad and very grey. We need colour to cheer us up, to calm us, to make us happy. For instance, I’ve heard that some prisons have been painted pink and green in order to put the prisoners in a better mood.
How important is colour in advertising?
Colour has a large role in advertising. We associate different products with their colour. Often people can’t be bothered to remember the name of the product, but they do remember the colour of the packet.
Could you describe how society can benefit from people working at night?
Society can benefit a great deal from people working at night such as policemen as a necessity for security of the whole society, taxi drivers for people to travel from one place to another or nurses and doctors at hospitals for treating people in case of emergency. Without their working at night, life would be more difficult.
Can you compare going to the cinema or other entertainments at night with going to the same entertainments by day?
I think it’s the atmosphere is different. If you are going to a concert or a cinema at night, the lights, the music and the atmosphere are different. After a long day’s work, its relaxing, entertaining and fun. There are not so many people going to the cinema or concert during the day.
What would you recommend people to do if they have to work at night?
I would recommend they get enough sleep so that they can maintain a high level of energy at night to work well. Also, they should find time to be with other family members.
Can you identify ways in which attitudes towards working at night have changed?
Nowadays, most people accept that night work is essential, because we want all sorts of things to be available at night, from hospitals to supermarkets.
Could you outline the effects on family life of people working at night?
Some parents work at different times, so one of them is available to look after the children. It’s difficult for them to do things together as a family.
How would you evaluate the importance of public transport operating all night?
In a 24/7 society, busses and trains are very important. They need to operate all night. Otherwise, it would be very difficult for people to get to work or to provide the services we wanted.
Could you speculate on whether we will move even more towards a 24/7 society?
It’s difficult to tell, but on the whole I think we are more likely to move back towards working during daylight hours, except for emergency services.
Can you suggest ways in which people could be encouraged to work at night?
People could be offered higher salaries or working at night, or could be working fewer hours for the same salary.
Choose two different forms of transport and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
Cars are far more convenient than busses, because you can go from your home to your destination without changing.
Trains have a very good safety record, far better than cars.
It’s much cheaper to travel by bus than by car, if you consider all the costs of driving.
Planes are very harmful for the environment, because of the gases they emit. Ships do much less damage.
Many city centres and major roads are congested. How can the problem be solved? Consider the advantages and disadvantages of these suggestions.
Banning non essential traffic: would greatly reduce the number of vehicles, but would make it very difficult to get to where they need to go.
Making driving very expensive: would encourage people to find cheaper alternatives, like public transport. On the other hand, it would be much more difficult for people living in rural areas, and people without much money.
Improving public transport: would reduce the number of private cars being used, but would need a lot of investment by the government, and people would probably object to paying higher taxes.
Encouraging people to live near their work: would make life less stressful for people who commute to work every day. However, people won’t want to move home every time they change jobs, if their new job is in a different area.
Can you suggest reasons why people move to another country?
To join friends or family; to get a better job; to increase their income; to learn a foreign language; to gain religious or political freedom; to study.
Can you comment on the benefits for a country of receiving people who have moved from abroad.
They work, and the taxes they pay contribute to national income; they provide skills that may be in short supply; they help to make the country more cosmopolitan, e.g. by adding to the variety of food and festivals.
Can you speculate on possible future movements of people between different countries?
People might move because of conflicts in their own country; as countries like India and China become richer, they may attract immigrants from poorer countries.
What are the benefits of becoming a member of a sports club?
If you join a sports club, you will be able to go there whenever you want and make use of all its equipment. It’s also a good place to make new friends.
Do you think enough sport is taught in schools nowadays?
I think more sport should be taught in schools because children need to take exercise and have the chance to breathe fresh air.
Why do international sports competitions encourage strong nationalism?
People get very excited watching their national team and many wave the national flag to support them. I think it’s a way of identifying with your country and feeling proud to be one of its citizens.
Is it always important to win at sport? Why or why not?
There’s a saying that goes something like this: it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, what’s important is taking part. I agree with that because you can get a lot of enjoyment from sport, whether you are good at it or not.
Could you describe how people use plastic credit cards?
They are used instead of cash, to buy goods in shops or pay bills. They can be used for paying online too when you just need to give the number on the card and some other details.
Can you contrast carrying credit cards with carrying cash?
I think the biggest difference is that when you pay for something with a credit card, you don’t really feel that you are spending money. So the danger is that you might spend far too much.
Can you identify ways in which credit cards have changed our spending habits?
When we see something we want, but can’t afford it, in the past we generally saved up to buy it. But nowadays we are more likely to buy it on credit card. As a result a lot of people get into debt.
How would you account for the popularity of credit cards?
One of the main reasons why people like using credit cards is that they can buy things that they can’t afford. Another reason is that they are convenient especially when you are shopping or traveling overseas because you don’t have to carry a lot of money with you.
Can you outline the methods used to encourage people to borrow money?
Banks advertise a lot, both on TV and by sending junk mail to your home. Often you are told you won’t need to start repaying a loan for six months or a year.
Can you suggest ways of educating people about the dangers of borrowing a lot of money?
I think this would be difficult, but maybe the government should run an advertising campaign emphasizing the danger of getting heavily into debt.
Could you speculate on whether people will change their attitude towards borrowing money?
I’m afraid that people who borrow a lot will carry on doing that, and that fewer and fewer people will try to avoid getting into debt.
Could you outline changes in the types of goods and services available in your country?
A lot more fruit and vegetables are imported than ten or twenty years ago, so we can buy the same things all year round, and not just when they are in season, in my own country.
How would you assess the impact on our lives of having a greater choice of goods?
I think it’s good to have a choice, because it gives us opportunities to have a better lifestyle. On the other hand, we sometimes waste a lot of time trying to make up our minds.
Is there enough time in the primary school curriculum to introduce music?
There is very little time because the focus is on basic literacy and numeracy – learning how to read, write and do maths.
Does every school have the financial resources to support such a programme?
Schools car usually short of resources for music can’t afford to pay extra teachers. They often rely on class teachers running music clubs in their lunch hour.
What are the benefits of learning a musical instrument at a young age?
It’s good because counting time and reading music can help children in other subjects.
What are the challenges in teaching music to young children?
They need to be able to concentrate and sit still.
Can you identify ways in which human beings use the oceans?
We explore the ocean floor to find out about the movement of continental plates, and to drill for oil and gas from under the sea. We’re also beginning to use the oceans to store waste materials.
Do you consider that life is less interesting, now that a great deal is known about eh Earth, the oceans and space?
We no longer have the excitement of discovering that people live in part of the world that did not know existed. But a lot of exploration nowadays focuses on space and I find that interesting.
How would you account for the fact that explorers used to be willing to take great risks, by sailing across the sea without navigational instruments?
Of course, they didn’t realize what navigational aids would be available hundreds of years later, so they probably took the risks for granted. They may also have found the idea of discovering unknown land much more exciting than we can understand as we have found all the land on Earth.
What can dream tell us about ourselves?
In my opinion, dreams can reveal our innermost feelings, things that we don’t want to think about.
Do you think it is helpful to interpret someone’s dreams for them?
It’s a complex question. I’m sure it must sometimes be helpful to have your dreams interpreted by a professional psychologist, but equally it could be quite upsetting for the individual concerned.
Why are dreams consider important in many cultures?
Might it be because they could provide answers, even if we don’t fully understand why we dream?
Are psychological issues more prevalent in modern society? Why or why not?
Definitely. We are leading more pressurized lives and this means we suffer more psychological problems. I also think we understand psychology better than we did, say, a hundred years ago.
How far should we try to investigate our inner selves?
It could be risky to dot this, couldn’t it? O