1. Efekty palenia. (THE EFFECTS OF SMOKING)
Smoking is the largest single preventable cause of death in Europe today. In Britain it kills more people each year than road traffic accidents, heroin abuse or dangerous sports. It accounts for one in three of all deaths between 40 and 64. About 90% of lung cancers and 20% of coronary heart disease deaths are smoking - related. Non-smokers run a small but not insignificant risk of lung cancer from passive smoking.
There are many reasons for smoking. Teenagers start smoking because of peer pressure and persuasion by their friends or they are curious, so they want to find out how it is. Some teenagers have the example of their parents. They start smoking and then it is hard to give up cigarettes.
For many people cigarettes are their true love and they don’t care about the consequences of smoking. Other treat it as their bad habit.
Of course smokers know that their habit is probably going to kill them but they prefer not to think about it. The best example for it is an experiment which is carred out in England. There is an Englishman who has been smoking since he was eleven. He loves smoking and he smokes between two and three packets a day. He says that cigarettes are your statement about yourself. For example: if you take out a packet of Marlboro you are saying: I’m an outdoor type or if you take out a packet of Benson, you are saying: I’m classy...
So he has started producing cigarettes called ”Death”. And none buys those cigarettes. The reason? Because smokers can’t say: ”Yes, I’m killing myself, but at least I know it”. They prefer to hide the fact. People try to hide the truth. The advertisements never show pictures of real smokers coughing up their lungs early in the morning. Television, papers, posters always show us clean - shaven young men. They suggest that it is manly to smoke. Smoking is associated with the great open - air life, with beautiful girls and true love... What utter nonsense!
The real life is different. Smokers have serious problems with health. They have bronchial troubles, heart disease, weak chest, their lungs callapse. In the end they have a lung cancer. Besides smokers are managed by fertility problems and impotence.
There are many smaller effects of smoking, too. Smokers have stained fingers, which don’t smell very good. Their eyes are almost yellow. They have damaged teeth and bad breath.
2. Palenie w miejscach publicznych jest zabronione. Czy wiesz? (SMOKING IN PUBLIC PLACES SHOULD BE BANNED. DO YOU AGREE?)
As we know - smoking has got big impact not only on the smoker. It affects non - smoker’s health, too. When the chain smokers lit cigarettes in the public places they should remember that they destroy the health of non - smokers. It was proved that reeked air is more injurious for passive smokers. It isn’t good news and smokers must know that they not only kill themselves but also kill other people who don’t smoke. When they smoke in a closed place - in an office, in a waiting - room, on a train or in a restaurant - they put at risk the health of non - smokers (they ”present” non - smokers with a portion of toxins). Passive smokers cannot avoid breathing in the cigarette smoke. And it is the worst thing, which is connected with smoking. Nowadays it is very hard to find a nice cafeteria or other places which wouldn’t be reeked. Of course if we want to have the fresh air we can go for a walk to the park. But even there we can meet smokers, because smoking in public places isn’t banned. It is a big problem for people who don’t smoke. Another point is that smoking sets a bad example for children. A lot of teenagers start smoking because they see how many adults do it and they think that it is a sign of maturity. Maybe if they didn’t see so many people smoking in their surroundings they wouldn’t be so curious and they wouldn’t do it.
In my opinion smoking in public places should be banned. Of course, we can ban smoking, but we can also create special places where smokers would be allowed to smoke. I think that if we launch this campaign, it will have good consequences for us. Non - smokers will have better and happier life and maybe there will be fewer smokers, because there will be the hindrance connected with smoking in the public places.
3. Dziura ozonowa. (GENERATION GAP)
The problem of the generations gap ia as old as the hills and it appears in every family. Very often it is connected with the failure or inability of the younger and older generations to communicate or understand each other. There are a few reasons of generation gap.
Psychologists say that most young people experience conflict during the period of adolescence. They are neither children nor adults and they are desperately searching for self - identity. As they are growing up, they develop different values from those held by their parents. They hate the ordered adult world because it symbolizes the skin they hope to shed.
Conflicts arise because young people feel that they have a right to be independent. Parents seem to be enemies who don’t let them stay out late, wear the clothes they want to wear, or be close to friend they like. What makes things even worse, teenagers have a sense of impotence and rage as they realize that financially they still depend on their parents and they wouldn’t have a nice party or a holiday without their help and support.
The period of adolescence is inseparably connected with making important life decisions, such as choosing a career path. That it precisely where the trouble is. Young people are told that they have the world at their feed and dazzling opportunities only to be seized. However, when they finally decide that they want to work in a travel agency instead of studying medicine or law for example, their partents tear out their hair and seem to be heartbroken.
Difficulties in the relationships with parents may lead to such serious problems as the use of alcohol or drugs, the refusal to attend school, running away from home or even turning to crime. In such cases screaming and yelling doesn’t work. It seems that the best way to put matters straight is a serious discussion, treating young people as equal partners and accepting their ideals. If they are neglected in the most turbulent time in their lives, their parents may lose them altogether.
4. Jak rozumiesz dziśiaj – wzrastanie w przemocy. (WHAT ARE THE REASONS FOR PRESENT - DAY INCREASE IN VIOLENCE?)
Nowadays the world becomes much more dangerous place to live in. What we can observe is that violence is now something common. In the past years the number of serious crimes has increased. Most of these crimes are committed for economic and social reasons.
Many offences and burglaries are committed for money, because theft is the easiest way to get money, cars or various things. Thefts are committed especially by people who do not want to work because they are too lazy.
Next reason turning people to violence and crime can be difficult relationship between parents and children during the period of adolescence. If children are neglected in the most turbulent time in their life they could start using alcohol and drugs, refuse to attend school, run away from home or even commit a crime, often very serious - such as murder. There are many reasons why people kill others. Sometimes murderers kill because they want to take their revenge or for money. But nowadays many people, particularly kids and teenagers kill for no reason. In many cases they do it for fun or they want to try how it is to kill somebody. They also kill people because they are bored and they do not have better things to do. In my opinion TV - especially silly cartoons and cruel films could have big impact on young minds and directly or indirectly it could make young people use violence and commit crimes.
Another violent practice is kidnapping - usually for ransom.
Besides we could mention that many women are raped every year. And also some innocent children are raped, too. The reason for that could be mental illness or unawareness of doing something wrong.
However, in many cases that sort of crime is committed with full - awarences and premeditation and even without any remorse.
The other kind of violence in present - day are wars among football fans. Each group of hostile fans thinks that their favourite team is the best of all and they try to prove it by using force. In these fights they often use very sharp and dangerous weapons.
I think that we can argue if these people are really football fans or maybe they only find in easy way to start fights and harm somebody.
When we talk about violence it should be mentioned that many children, who use violence, are taught it at home. Usually in pathological and alcoholic families violence is something normal, natural and common.
Unemployment, frustration and too much free time can be the other reason for using violence.
What can we do to decrease the present - day rate of violence? In my opnion the most important thing is to make very strict sentences for criminals. I think that it helps us decrease the rate of violence among people.
5. Kozyści i szkodliwośc telewizji. (WHAT ARE THE BENEFICIAL AND HARMFUL
EFFECTS OF TELEVISION?)
Television is one of the media. We can live without TV, but we often forget about it and most of us are under the big influence of TV. We are addicted to TV programmes and information. Before TV was invented we were doing certain things such as: reading books, developing hobbies, talking to friends, leading a very active social life, visiting theatres, circuses, cafes, museums, practising sports and spending more time in the fresh air, more often than now.
Now not many people want to admit that their time is regulated by TV. Simply after school or work they rush home, gulp down meals to be in time for the favourite programme.
Mothers treat TV as the best pacifier, as the moving colourful pictures keep the little kids quiet and busy. In this way children are exposed to commercials, scenes of crime and violence and mothers do not always care what the children are watching as long as they are quiet.
The cultural level of TV programmes is low. There are far fewer educational, biographical, historical or religious programmes in comparison to those showing violence.
People love watching bed quality detective stories, police investigations, political debates, commercials and stupid comedies.
We get so lazy that we prefer to spend a fine day drinking beer, eating hamburgers or snacks and watching TV, than go for a bicycle - ride or a long walk in the nearest forest. That is why we are cut off from the real world.
The greatest harm is done to those, including children, who watch TV continuously. They often harm their eyesight and weaken their physical condition.
However, if we want to admit that TV can affect us on positive way, we must control our lives and choose these things on TV which are important for us.
We can say that telly has, in fact, some good sides, too. It discovers new actors, musicians, shows their talents to let people know about them. In that way, many of them become film and TV stars.
Besides TV shows the events in the world. Thanks to satellite stations the same programmes may be watched in different countries. Than all people can know about the current floods, aeroplane crashes, wars, catastrophies, scientific discoveries and about gossip.
Because of the phone - in programmes devoted to different subjects such as drugs, pets, loneliness, amusement, the viewers can call and give their’s opinions.
TV has both advantages and disadvantages. I think that we must choose in TV what is important, smart and valuable for us. We can let that small box separate the members of family. Otherwise we will stop talking to each other and will have more and more problems connected with this.
6. Dlaczego ludzie uczą się obcych języków. (WHY DO PEOPLE LEARN FOREIGN LANGUAGES?)
There are many languages in the world and there are many reasons for learning them. Nowadays the knowledge of foreign language is very important and useful.
It is human nature to broaden horizons and to explore new things - that why people study foreign languages.
We could learn them to meet new people and to get to know different cultures. For some people learning foreign language could bring self - confidence and satisfaction.
The next advantage of learning other language is that you can go abroad and study in a foreign country.
But I think that the main reason for learning foreign languages is the opportunity to find a well - paid job. You can work for big business companies, you can be a translater, a diplomat, an ambassador or a tour guide. You may also go abroad and work as a press correspondent.
The knowledge of foreign languages, especially English, is very useful and necessary in international trade and industry. Many young people take into concideration the speed of the world’s development and possibility of meeting people who speak different languages and they decide to learn them.
What’s more? Young people learn foreign languages to provide themselves with good future and welfare.
When people travel around the world it is better for them to communicate in local language because they can find out more about the place they visit and the culture of the country they are in.
There are also cases when students are forced to learn other languages by their parents who want them to have a better life.
Next advantage of the ability of speaking foreign languages is that people who live in countries divided into a few regions which use different languages could understand one another, for example: in Switzerland or Canada.
I think that foreign languages are worth learning because you never know what will happen. For instance: when somebody emigrates it is good to know the local language because it helps to adopt - meet friends, get a job and so on.
Learning other languages could be also a good pastime. You can learn them if you want to impress somebody or if you want to read foreign press, prose or poetry in original version.
7. Emigracja. (EMIGRATING)
Between 1815 and 1914, the world witnessed the greatest peaceful migration in its history. Mostly Europeans left their homelands to start new life mainly in America. Why did these people risk everything leaving their homes and families? First, one major cause was the rise in population which in turn led to land hunger. Another was politics. The army grew and many young men fled to avoid being conscripted. Also, the failure of the liberal revolutions in Europe caused the departure of thousand of refugees. Reigion also encouraged millions to leave Europe. In short, people chose to leave their homes for social, economic and religious reasons.
Currently the USA is still seen by millions as the Promised Land. Many people move to a new country in search of a new life.
Nowadays people emigrate because they want to grow the riches. In a country, where they live, it is difficult to find well - paid job because there is a big competition. Secondly people who emigrate want to join their families. Another point is that people have to leave their country because their company sends them to a foreign country. There are also some cases when people want to escape because they are persecuted or they live in a country where are hurricanes, earthquakes or volcano eruptions. People are afraid about their lives and they choose safer places to live.
In my opinion emigrants choose places which they always like and want to live in, they select rich countries because it is easier there to start afrash.
People who take the plunge have to change their lifestyle. They have to find a new place to live in, work and new friends. It is easier when they know local language because it helps to adopt, meet people, get better job. However, it is difficult to start from the beginning. Emigrating is an expensive business. People need money but all they have they spend on the most important things. If they find good work they are lucky chaps. It is also hard to get used to new culture, food and weather. People can feel very lonely but in many cases families have much more time to one another, they become closer. They miss their friends and they want to adjust as soon as possible.
8. Niebezpieczenstwo nowoczesnego zycia. Jakie srodki ostrozności podjąć idąc samemu przez miasto. Jak ty się zabespieczysz. (THE DANGER OF MODERN LIVING. HOW SAFE IS IT TO WALK ALONE IN YOUR CITY. WHAT PRECAUTIONS DO YOU TAKE?)
The modern world isn’t easy and safe place to live. What we can observe is that the greater and more advanced development of civilization, technology and economy, the more dangerous it is to live.
But what do we understand by danger of modern living? In my opinion we can discuss it in two aspects. Namely the direct dangers like different arts of crimes to which average citizens are exposed and the indirect dangers - caused by the development of industry, technology which have got impact on our health and the way of living.
Of course at this point we could mention pollution and how it affects our health and the way we rest. We could also talk about modern food and how all these ”good” things we eat are bad for us.
But I would like, first of all, to concentrate on the direct danger of modern life, namely crimes and offences. Let me discuss different, more common direct dangers. Among these we can mention:
- burglary which is common crime nowadays, very often organized by groups of people;
- theft which is the easiest way to get money, cars or other things, very often practise by young people who don’t want to work because they are too lazy, and of course:
- murders.
There are many reasons why people kill the others. Sometimes murderers kill people because they want their money or they murder because they want to take their revenge. But nowadays many people, particularly kids and teenagers, kill for no reason however.
After what I told you I don’t have to tell you that walking alone in our city, especially after dark, isn’t safe at all. We have to be very careful and keep our eye wide open to see what is happening around us. Because we are really exposed to different dangers on the part of criminals and vandals.
How do we protect ourselves against all those crimes? It isn’t easy to answer it. We may take a lot of precautions but unfortunately none of them guarantees us safety. The things which we can do is for instancxe: protect our houses and cars. We should buy the modern locks or dangerous dog which would frighten the burglars. We shouldn’t show people that we have got money. If they think that we are poor they will not steal us. As I said we should keep our eye wide open to see what is happening around us and maybe it protect us against burglary or other dangerous things.
9. Podruzowanie rozszerza choryzonty. Czy do końca się z tym zgadzasz. (TRAVEL BROADENS THE MIND!. HOW FAR DO YOU AGREE WITH THIS?)
In the last years tourism has really taken off. The tourist industry will soon be the largest industry in the world. Now more than 600 million tourists a year travel the globe. Travelling to all corners of the world gets easier and easier.
There are people who travel on business, science or politics. Many young people leave their countries to study, but most of people want to see something new and different from what they are used to seeing. Vast numbers of them want to visit the world’s most treasured sites: the Parthenon, the Mediterranean, Stone henge.
Naturally there are both pros and cons of tourism. One advantage is that travelling broadens people’s mind because they visit museums, theatres, galleries and other places of interest. For instance: when they visit castles and palaces they learn the history of royal families. This kind of travel educates them. They widen their knowledge about the things that they read about. In addition people get more sensitive and open to art. Another good point is that people can see a lot of interesting and beautiful spots. They can meet a lot of different people from foreign countries. Tourists can come across various cultures and religions of many nations. Tourists can see how other people live, behave and what they think.
However there are many disadvantages. One is that people destroy environment. They litter beaches and other places, they also often don’t keep to the trails but step over the wild plants and places of natural beauty. For example the Mediterranean is the dirtiest sea in the whole world or the Tatra Mountains are being destroyed by crowds of tourists every year. Another drawback is that tourists devastate monuments - they chiselled into rock their’s sign.
On the minus side is that travel costs a lot of money and most of people will never see these sites because they haven’t got so much money. We should remember that many places are under the threat of destruction. Many replicas have been built for instance - the prehistoric cave paintings at Lascaux in France have been closed.
Until recently, we all believe that travel broadens the mind, but now many of us believe the exact opposite ”Modern travel narrows the mind”.
In my opinion it depends on people. There are people who want to see as much as possible but they don’t destroy anything.
10. Postęp nowoczesnych technologji napszud. (MODERN TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES)
From the beginning of the 20th century we can observe that there are many modern technological advances in every domain of our life. It is very hard to mention all achievements of our world. Undoubtedly when we talk about technological advances we should tell something about computers which are now, in my opinion, indispensable part of our life. They have got a big impact on our work and study. They are also useful in conducting business transactions or carring out research. Many domains of science or technology are dependent on computers. They are revolutioning the design, printing, accountancy, banking, telecommunication, energetics, mining industry and the railway system. For example: in factories computers are used for controlling and analysing many industrial prosesses. Besides they are used to manufacture certain products. They are also incorporated into the products, such as cars, trains, ships, weapons or machine tools.
As I said computers have got the wide application. We can use them in education young people. There are a lot of secondary schools in the world which educate students how to use the computers. It realizes us that they play an important role in our life. Besides they allow us to save the time, because they perform complicated mathematical calculations in minutes, they can improve data gathering, testing and analysis. What’s more? Computers are very useful in medicine. They help us to save the life of many people. They are used in medical diagnosis, patient monitoring and general hospital administration. Sometimes they are better than doctors because they are not nervous and they do not do the mistakes as often as people. I cannot imagine the world without computers, but I know, that not everybody thinks the same about them.
There are some people in the world who hate them because they lost their job or had other awful accidents with computers. One of them is Mr Arthur Henderson who lives in Surrey. He is a very careful man. He is especially careful about electricity. He never uses very much, so his bill, which he pays every three month, is usually around 25. Someday Mr Henderson had a nasty surprise. When his latest electricity bill arrived, it was for 259.00. Over ten times as much. When he saw it he almost had a heart attack. He was very upset. Later his sister rang the Electricity Board for him. As a result of her phone call, Mr Henderson got a corrected bill from the Electricity Board a few days later. He also got a note of apology. Computer made a mistake and it put a decimal point in the wrong place and added a ”0”.
Many people say that the future of our civilization depends on computers. It is true but in my opinion we should remember that computers do not replace people in every domain of our life. I talk to you about it because last month I watched the programme about the new procesor PentiumIII and I heard that there are a new computer programme which allows adults to leave alone their small children with the computer at home. It will teach them to say, walk and so on. In my opnion it is not a good idea because people have something which computers have not got - feelings. Computers do not feel - they cannot love, like, hate others, they are not people. We must remember about it! Besides adults should control what kids and teenagers do with the computer and in which way they use them. It is very important thing and it is very often connected with the Internet.
This international network of computers is being used by 80 million people in the world. Many of us think that this medium will soon change the way we communicate, shop, study, conduct business and publish. The Internet has unlimited possibilities. In an hour’s time the users of the Net can send an important message to one hundred thousand people, visit the most beautiful places all over the world, buy a computer, study the weather report and even get married. The most popular way of using the Net is e-mail (electronic mail). This system enables the holder to send information to the other hemisphere in just a second. This telegram costs only as much as a local telephone connection and is the fastest in the world.
Another technological advance which is connected with the modern world is nuclear power. It seems in some ways much cleaner than other sources of energy. Take oil or coal an example. When they are used in power stations, a great deal of smoke is produced. The smoke contains a great deal of acid. Even if the smoke is cleaned by filters, a lot of the acid still escapes into the air. This can be carried by clouds from power stations (for example) in England to Scandinavia. When it rains there, the acid comes down with the rain. As a result, the fish in lakes and trees in forests begin to die.
But many people are still against nuclear power. They believe that the problem is not just the danger of an accident in the atomic power station. Highly radioactive material is used. Radioactivity can cause cancer and other illnesses. Only a part of the material is used. The rest - called waste - is just as radioactive. Although it is still dangerous, this radioactive waste is often thrown into the sea. Nobody can be certain what will happen to it there. Only one thing is certain. It will be highly dangerous for at least 240.000 years!
Now there are less proponents than opponents of nuclear power. It is connected with the Chernobyl disaster. This shocking event has changed people’s attitudes and increased opposition to fission. Now we know that after few years we can still see the big impact this event in the Chernobyl on the people, animals and our emvironment. There are some animals with two, three heads or eight legs, there are more people in the world who have got tumour, our food is denaturated.
The same problem was shown in the film ”The China Syndrome”. What if there is an explosion in the nuclear reactor (the part that produces the nuclear energy)? If one explodes near a large city, how many people will die? Other experts argue that this is impossible. But the argument will go on for a long time. And it is also clear that nuclear power can never be the only answer. It is only one possible answer. Some other possibilities are solar power (from the sun), wind power and tidal power (from the waves and tides in the ocean). And we must conserve energy, too. Conservation will become more and more of a necessity.
There are many people in the world who know that they must find another way to gain the power. For example: in England the technical experts and the politicians agree that the barren windswept cliffs of Scotland are ideal sites for the huge wind turbines which will help to meet Britain’s growing need for power. Some even argue that the scale, shape and motion of the turbines will improve the environment in the same way that a beautiful statue enhances a garden. But locals, like Jim Campbell, are not convinced and he said: ’I can see that one of these things on its own might look good to some people but when you get a hundred of them threshing away then it’s just an eyesore’. I know that this is a very good idea to gain the power but in my opinion the expert should think about the locals before they will decide to build these huge wind turbines.
When we talk about modern technological advances we should also tell something about space travel and medicine. I told you about these things when I had got the topic about ”Wonders of the modern world” so I think that I do not have to tell it one more time.
At the end I would like to tell you that all these things which I talked about are not as important as we are. Sometimes people lost the true and they think that the best things in the world are the material things which we can buy for the money. This is the worst mistake which we can do. Nothing has replace us the best friend which can be only the human because he feels as we. He can love, like, hate us, smile, cry. He is authentic and even the best computer programme does not replace him.
11. Zalety i wady posiadania uludionego zwierzaka. (ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF HAVING A PET)
Having a pet is a nice thing. However, many people do not realize that it is also a great responsibility. It has definitely a lot of advatages, the ...
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