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Essay Question
1. Topic Sentence
- Example
2. Topic Sentence
- Example
3. Topic Sentence
- Example
4. Counter-argument
5. Refutation
(Name)
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Here are the questions again for your convenience:
1. ‘Violence to end violence.’ Is this the solution to conflicts?
2. ‘In spite of more information, man is not more informed.’ Comment.
3. Discuss the value of doubt in modern society.
4. ‘Morality hampers the progress of science.’ Do you agree?
5. Is discrimination against women still a global problem today?
6. ‘Technology is the future of sport.’ Discuss.
7. Discuss the value and appeal of gossip.
8. ‘The common man is the true power behind any government.’ Discuss.
9. Discuss the importance of water in the world today.
10. ‘Singapore needs to be a nation of tree-huggers and bird-kissers.’ To what extent do you agree?
11. ‘Reading fiction has no real value except for its entertainment purposes.’ Is this a fair comment?
12. ‘Life is about survival of the fittest.’ Discuss.
'Reading fiction has no real value except for its entertainment purposes.' Is this a fair comment?
ReplyDeleteThesis: Reading fiction offers innumerable tangible benefits of various aspects of human development.
TS1: Reading fiction serves as a platform for the young to expose them to more literature, thereby contributing to their development.
- Fables, Simple books (eg. Blyton): teaches morals
- Expands one's range of vocabulary: educational
- Fiction helps in moral and character development: important in child's formative years
TS2: Reading fiction challenges one's beliefs and values.
- Historical fiction: Even though it is untrue, it tests our faith because it opposes what we believe in
- 'Last Templar': Origins of the Catholic faith
TS3: The foundation of the lucrative film industry rest largely on fictional adaptations from novels.
- Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald
- Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
- Provides employment
- Spillover effect: Construction i.e. building of set
TS4: Reading fiction offers a viable and rejuvenating escape from our hectic lifestyles.
- Harry Potter
- Fantasy / Science Fiction
Counter Argument: The real value of reading fiction is only to entertain man.
Refutation: The real value of reading fiction is subjective and depends on the individual.
Eeling and Nicole =]
‘Life is about survival of the fittest.’ Discuss.
ReplyDeleteThesis: Life is about survival of the fittest for in this modern day era, there is simply no place for the weak to stand.
TS 1: Countries develop the latest military technology so as to impose their influence globally.
- Over the last number of decades, the United States has been constantly involved in a number of wars with countries like: Afghanistan, Iraq, Korea and Vietnam.
TS 2: While survival as a human being entails one to be the fittest, this phenomena can also be observed in the lives of plants and other plant-like organisms.
- In the rainforests or any forests for that matter, trees and plants look to outgrow each other as they vie to attain maximum exposure to sunlight.
- Survival rate of Saplings in rainforests are low due to their inability to outgrow the adult trees.
TS3: Similarly, in the animal kingdom, the idea of survival of the fittest is even more apparent because between the hunter and the hunted, only the fittest would prevail.
- If either the hunter or hunted is outpaced, chances are they would either have to go hungry or they lose their lives.
Counter Argument: Man cannot be compared to plants and animals for we possess a higher intellect and have the ability to discern. Unlike animals, man does not rely solely on their instincts.
"Discuss the importance of water in the world today."
ReplyDeleteThesis: Water is the basic necessity to support life in the world today.
TS1: Water is needed to grow crops in order to sustain the growing population of the world today.
Eg: Hydroponics has two main advantages that trump traditional farming: higher crop yields, and the fact that it can be used in places where ordinary agriculture or gardening is impossible. The result of higher crop yields can sustain the growing populations of the world today.
TS2: The proliferation of MNCs around the world is always in constant search of water sources at the expense of the rural people’s limited fresh water supply.
Eg: Companies such as Coca Cola and Pepsi outsource to countries like India, causing the local’s water supply to be soiled by waste and toxins that factories produce.
Counter-argument: Local riots that have risen from the pollution of water have resulted in the government’s regulation of such polluting factories.
Refutation: Even though the government has regulated water pollution, it still exists in the quest for industrialisation. As such, the importance of fresh water is compromised by progress.
TS3: Today, people are concerned about the quality of the water they drink.
Eg: Problems like disinfectants, used to purify water, are used to prevent disease, create byproducts which may pose significant health risks.
Victoria and Dora
THESIS STATEMENT: While gossip may be appealing, it has no true value.
ReplyDeleteTS 1: While gossip serves as simple conversation in comparison to heavier, more intellectually challenging topics, the limited intellect that it commands leads to little progress of the human mind and thus impacts the development of a society as a whole.
Eg. Newspapers reporting more gossip so that they can sell more papers. In Singapore’s context, the New Paper.
TS 2: Gossip today has huge monetary value, with an entire industry churning out celebrity gossip by the minute, fuelling the voyeurism in us, and at the same time allowing many to live vicariously through their favourite superstars. However, this creates a society that is discontented and in constant pursuit of material, unrealistic goals.
E.g. Latest celebrity trends in magazines; Kate Moss spotted with black Wellingtons, and after that they were sold out in the next few hours.
TS 3: In everyday life, gossip is an easy way of striking up conversations, sometimes even serving as common topics of interest that allow bonding between people, becoming the basis for some friendships. Yet, this mongering of salacious information creates a malicious environment that contradicts the spirit of community, subjecting individuals to the unhealthy scrutiny and criticism of others.
Eg. South Korean famous actress Choi Jin-Sil committed suicide as she was deeply troubled due to malicious online rumours that she had driven another actor to kill himself. The singer Yuni, also commited suicide due to malicious web rumours accusing her of doing plastic surgery.
CA: However, it should also be noted that the appeal and value of gossip cannot be denied, as in some cases, exposing one’s scandals and shams will cause one to change for the better.
Eg. The revelations of Prince Charles’ philandering and cold-heartedness by the gossip tabloids have spurred him to be a better and more responsible heir.
Grace and JX =)
TS1: Being exposed to fiction facilitates a child's development as they are introduced to more literature.
ReplyDeleteTS2: Conventional principles and beliefs are interrogated with the exposure to more literature.
TS3: The treasure troves of literature are a significant source of inspiration to the thriving entertainment industry.
TS4: An avenue where our wildest imaginations come alive, fiction injects a refreshing change into our busy lives.