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Present your
perspective on the issue below, using relevant reasons and/or
examples to support your views.
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"Reform is
seldom brought about by people who are concerned with their own reputation and
social standing. Those who are really in earnest about reforming a government, an educational
system, or any other institution must be willing to be viewed with disdain by the rest of the
world."
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"Many people
believe that a few individuals or small groups (family, friends, teachers,
celebrities, for example) have caused them to think and behave in the way they do. Yet it is
always society as a whole that defines us and our attitudes, not a few individuals."
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"Contemporary
technology makes available many small pieces of factual information. As a
result, people have become so preoccupied with bits of fragmented information that they pay
too little attention to the larger issues and overall perspectives."
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"People in
positions of power are most effective when they exercise caution and restraint in the
use of that power."
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"Anyone can
make things bigger and more complex. What requires real effort and courage is to
move in the opposite direction—in other words, to make things as simple as possible."
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"Most people
would agree that buildings represent a valuable record of any society's past, but
controversy arises when old buildings stand on ground that modern planners feel could be
better used for modern purposes. In such situations, modern development should be given
precedence over the preservation of historic buildings so that contemporary needs can be
served."
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"No one can
possibly achieve success in the world by conforming to conventional practices and
conventional ways of thinking."
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"Students
should memorize facts only after they have studied the ideas, trends, and concepts
that help explain those facts. Students who have learned only facts have learned very little."
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"Public figures
such as actors, politicians, and athletes should expect people to be interested in
their private lives. When they seek a public role, they should expect that they will lose at least
some of their privacy."
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"The primary
goal of technological advancement should be to increase people's efficiency so
that everyone has more leisure time."
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"Money spent
on research is almost always a good investment, even when the results of that
research are controversial."
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"A school
or college should pay its teachers at the same rate in all disciplines, regardless of
differences in salaries for related fields in the world outside of school. For example, entry-level
teachers in mathematics and in the arts should receive the same pay, even if outside of school,
math specialists earn a much higher salary on average than do specialists in the arts."
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"Creating
an appealing image has become more important in contemporary society than is the
reality or truth behind that image."
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"Instead of
requiring students to take courses in a variety of disciplines—that is, courses ranging
from the arts and the humanities to the physical and biological sciences—colleges and
universities should allow students to enroll only in those courses that will help prepare them for
jobs in their chosen fields. Such concentration is necessary in today's increasingly work-
oriented society."
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"No matter
what the situation, it is more harmful to compromise one's beliefs than to adhere to
them."
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"The greatness
of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their
contemporaries."
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"In most societies,
competition generally has more of a negative than a positive effect."
------------------------------
"In the age
of television, reading books is not as important as it once was. People can learn as
much by watching television as they can by reading books."
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"The intellectual
benefits of attending a university or college are vastly overrated: most people
could learn more by studying and reading on their own for four years than by pursuing a
university or college degree."
------------------------------
"Scholars
and researchers should not be concerned with whether their work makes a
contribution to the larger society. It is more important that they pursue their individual interests,
however unusual or idiosyncratic those interests may seem."
------------------------------
"Such nonmainstream
areas of inquiry as astrology, fortune-telling, and psychic and paranormal
pursuits play a vital role in society by satisfying human needs that are not addressed by
mainstream science."
------------------------------
"Because learning
is not a solitary activity but one that requires collaboration among people,
students of all ages will benefit academically if they work frequently in groups."
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"To be an
effective leader, a public official must maintain the highest ethical and moral
standards."
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"Government
should not fund any scientific research whose consequences, either medical or
ethical, are unclear."
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"Government
officials should rely on their own judgment rather than unquestioningly carrying
out the will of the people whom they serve."
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"While some
leaders in government, sports, industry, and other areas attribute their success to a
well-developed sense of competition, a society can better prepare its young people for
leadership by instilling in them a sense of cooperation."
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"Society does
not place enough emphasis on the intellect—that is, on reasoning and other
cognitive skills."
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"The study
of history places too much emphasis on individuals. The most significant events and
trends in history were made possible not by the famous few, but by groups of people whose
identities have long been forgotten."
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"Imaginative
works such as novels, plays, films, fairy tales, and legends present a more accurate
and meaningful picture of human experience than do factual accounts. Because the creators of
fiction shape and focus reality rather than report on it literally, their creations have a more
lasting significance."
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"In order
to improve the quality of instruction at the college and university level, all faculty
should be required to spend time working outside the academic world in professions relevant to
the courses they teach."
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"Education
will be truly effective only when it is specifically designed to meet the individual
needs and interests of each student."
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"Education
encourages students to question and criticize, and therefore does little to promote
social harmony."
------------------------------
"College and
university education should be free for all students, fully financed by the
government."
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"History teaches
us only one thing: knowing about the past cannot help people to make
important decisions today."
------------------------------
"Competition
for high grades seriously limits the quality of learning at all levels of education."
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"Governments
should focus more on solving the immediate problems of today rather than trying
to solve the anticipated problems of the future."
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"The depth
of knowledge to be gained from books is much richer and broader than what can
be learned from direct experience."
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"The increasingly
rapid pace of life today causes more problems than it solves."
------------------------------
"Too much
emphasis is placed on role models. Instead of copying others, people should learn
to think and act independently and thus make the choices that are best for them."
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"The media—and
society in general—mistakenly expect an individual to speak for a particular
group, whether or not that individual truly represents the views of the entire group."
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"High-profile
awards such as the Nobel Prize are actually damaging to society because they
suggest that only a few people deserve such recognition."
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"The widespread
idea that people should make self-improvement a primary goal in their lives is
problematic because it assumes that people are intrinsically deficient."
------------------------------
"To truly
understand your own culture—no matter how you define it—requires personal
knowledge of at least one other culture, one that is distinctly different from your own."
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"Many people
know how to attain success, but few know how to make the best use of it."
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"People have
been so encouraged by society to focus on apparent differences that they fail to
see meaningful similarities among ideas, individuals, and groups."
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"As people
rely more and more on technology to solve problems, the ability of humans to think
for themselves will surely deteriorate."
------------------------------
"Colleges
should require students to engage in public-service activities in order to assure that
each student receives a balanced, well-rounded education."
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"People make
the mistake of treating experts with suspicion and mistrust, no matter how
valuable their contributions might be."
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"Government
should place few, if any, restrictions on scientific research and development"
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"In any profession—business,
politics, education, government—those in power should step
down after five years. The surest path to success for any enterprise is revitalization through new
leadership."
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"Spending
time alone makes one a better companion to others."
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"One can best
understand the most important characteristics of a society by studying its major
cities."
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"In most professions
and academic fields, imagination is more important than knowledge."
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"The most
effective way to communicate an idea or value to large groups of people is through
the use of images, not language."
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"The people
who make important contributions to society are generally not those who develop
their own new ideas, but those who are most gifted at perceiving and coordinating the talents
and skills of others."
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"Truly profound
thinkers and highly creative artists are always out of step with their time and
their society."
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"People today
are too individualistic. Instead of pursuing self-centered, separate goals, people
need to understand that satisfaction comes from working for the greater good of the family, the
community, or society as a whole."
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"Schools should
be required to teach the essential interconnectedness of all human beings and
thus help eliminate wars, cultural clashes, and other forms of conflict."
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"Major policy
decisions should always be left to politicians and other government experts, who
are more informed and thus have better judgment and perspective than do members of the
general public."
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"All students
should be required to take courses in the sciences, even if they have no interest in
science."
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"Patriotic
reverence for the history of a nation often does more to impede than to encourage
progress."
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"Government
should never censor the artistic works or historical displays that a museum wishes
to exhibit."
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"Government
should preserve publicly owned wilderness areas in their natural state, even
though these areas are often extremely remote and thus accessible to only a few people."
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"In any field
of endeavor, it is impossible to make a significant contribution without first being
strongly influenced by past achievements within that field."
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"Government
funding of the arts threatens the integrity of the arts."
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"Young people
should be encouraged to pursue long-term, realistic goals rather than seek
immediate fame and recognition."
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"In any field
of inquiry, the beginner is more likely than the expert to make important
discoveries."
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"Technologies
not only influence but actually determine social customs and ethics."
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"Leaders are
created primarily by the demands that are placed upon them."
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"College students
should be encouraged to pursue subjects that interest them rather than seek
programs that promise entry into the job market."
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"Most people
think that their deeply held values are the result of rational choice, but reason
often has little to do with the way people form values."
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"In any academic
area or professional field, it is just as important to recognize the limits of our
knowledge and understanding as it is to acquire new facts and information."
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"The concept
of 'individual responsibility' is a necessary fiction. Although societies must hold
individuals accountable for their own actions, people's behavior is largely determined by forces
not of their own making."
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"Universities
should require every student to take a variety of courses outside the student's field
of study because acquiring knowledge of various academic disciplines is the best way to
become truly educated."
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"People work
more productively in teams than individually. Teamwork requires cooperation,
which motivates people much more than individual competition does."
------------------------------
"Although,
critics who write about the arts tend to deny the existence of any objective
standards for evaluating works of art, they have a responsibility to establish standards by which
works of art can be judged."
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"It is unfortunate
but true that political decisions and activities affect all aspects of people's lives."
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"Colleges
and universities should offer more courses on popular music, film, advertising, and
television because contemporary culture has much greater relevance for students than do arts
and literature of the past."
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"In any realm
of life—whether academic, social, business, or political—the only way to
succeed is to take a practical, rather than an idealistic, point of view. Pragmatic behavior
guarantees survival, whereas idealistic views tend to be superceded by simpler, more
immediate options."
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"The pressure
to achieve high grades in school seriously limits the quality of learning. An
educational environment without grades would promote more genuine intellectual development."
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"Governments
should provide funding for artists so that the arts can flourish and be available to
all people."
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"For better
or worse, education is a process that involves revising the ideas, beliefs, and values
people held in the past."
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"The study
of history has value only to the extent that it is relevant to our daily lives."
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"It is primarily
through formal education that a culture tries to perpetuate the ideas it favors and
discredit the ideas it fears."
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"The true
strength of a country is best demonstrated by the willingness of its government to
tolerate challenges from it's own citizens."
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"All students
should be required to take at least one course in ethics, even if taking the course
means a decreased emphasis on academic subjects."
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"Instant communication
systems encourage people to form hasty opinions and give quick replies
rather than take the time to develop thoughtful, well-reasoned points of view."
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"In many countries
it is now possible to turn on the television and view government at work.
Watching these proceedings can help people understand the issues that affect their lives. The
more kinds of government proceedings—trials, debates, meetings, etc—that are televised,
the
more society will benefit."
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"The purpose
of many advertisements is to make consumers want to buy a product so that they
will 'be like' the person in the ad. This practice is effective because it not only sells products but
also helps people feel better about themselves."
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"When we concern
ourselves with the study of history, we become storytellers. Because we
can never know the past directly but must construct it by interpreting evidence, exploring
history is more of a creative enterprise than it is an objective pursuit. All historians are
storytellers."
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"The worldwide
distribution of television programs and advertisements is seriously diminishing
the differences among cultures."
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"Some educational
systems emphasize the development of students' capacity for reasoning and
logical thinking, but students would benefit more from an education that also taught them to
explore their own emotions."
------------------------------
"It is primarily
through our identification with social groups that we define ourselves."
------------------------------
"Humanity
has made little real progress over the past century or so. Technological innovations
have taken place, but the overall condition of humanity is no better. War, violence, and poverty
are still with us. Technology cannot change the condition of humanity."
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1. readin'
