皆さんこんばんは、梅田英会話です。いよいよ明日は、英検2次試験ですね。C日程の方は11/23(祝日が試験日になりますが…)
昨日は英検1級2次試験でのスピーチの際に重要な論理展開に関するブログをアップしましたが、本日は話すべき内容に関するネタ集を公開します。これは、授業で扱った内容の一部にすぎませんが、明日の英検を受験される方は、直前チェックに利用しましょう。
なお、スピーチの冒頭(Intro部分)では、「自分との対立意見を挙げてから主張をするのが理想」ですので、あるトピックに関する賛成意見と反対意見の両方を抑えておく必要があります。
Topic 1
Agree or disagree: Climate change will continue to accelerate.
[Agree]
- Transition to alternative fuels will be difficult, and fossil fuels will continue to be used.
- Global warming will increase due to greenhouse gas emissions.
- Deforestation leads to environmental destruction, causing global warming and pollution.
- Population growth in developing countries is expected to cause further environmental destruction.
- Lifestyles in developed countries will not change, and energy consumption will continue to increase.
[Disagree]
- Fossil fuels are expected to be depleted, and environmentally friendly renewable energies are being put to practical use.
- The safety of nuclear power generation, which does not contribute to global warming, is expected to increase in the future.
- The development of recycling technologies will help halt deforestation and global warming.
- The international community has agreed and is making efforts to address climate change.
Topic 2
Agree or disagree: Japan should accept more immigrants.
[Agree]
- The labor shortage, which is expected to become more serious in the future due to the declining birthrate, will be solved by accepting immigrants.
- By securing human resources from overseas, the domestic industry and economy are expected to grow.
- The increase in the number of foreign nationals will help promote international understanding through the knowledge of other cultures.
- It is our duty as a developed country to accept refugees and persecuted people.
[Disagree]
- The number of Japanese unemployed may increase due to the increase in the number of immigrants.
- The average wage in Japan will decrease due to the increase in hiring workers from overseas with low wages.
- The number of unemployed Japanese may increase due to the rising number of immigrants.
- Differences in language, culture, and religion may create communication challenges and lead to confusion in the workplace and education.
- The use of robots and AI, rather than relying on immigrants, will be more effective in addressing labor shortages.
Topic 3
Agree or disagree: Artificial intelligence improves the quality of life.
[Agree]
- When AI is integrated into home appliances and automobiles, it reduces the burden of housework and labor, enabling more effective use of time.
- AI can make more accurate decisions with fewer errors than humans, thus increasing productivity.
- The use of AI will help alleviate labor shortages and meet demand with reduced labor.
- Effective use of AI reduces labor costs, thus increasing profit margins, which can then be returned to workers as higher income.
[Disagree]
- AI may displace jobs and lead to increased unemployment.
- The development and maintenance of AI will incur substantial costs, but it is doubtful that there will be any real-life benefit.
- Dependence on AI tends to reduce human interaction.
- AI can pose a threat to society if misused.
Topic 4
Agree or disagree: Companies should abolish the mandatory retirement age.
[Agree]
- Amid concerns about labor shortages due to the declining birthrate, experienced and talented human resources can be secured.
- Through active involvement in society, elderly people can enjoy healthy and prosperous lives.
- Companies can avoid the need to hire and train new employees, thereby reducing recruitment and training costs.
- By continuing to work, the elderly can be relieved of concerns about their future pension income.
[Disagree]
- Youth unemployment and part-time employment rates may rise, limiting opportunities for young people.
- The aging of the workforce could impede the generation of new ideas.
- As workers age, concerns about health and safety become more prominent for elderly employees.
Topic 5
Agree or disagree: Internet crime will continue to increase.
[Agree]
- The widespread use of PCs and smartphones has made children vulnerable targets in the online community.
- Internet crimes are becoming increasingly diverse, and this trend is expected to continue.
- Laws are falling behind the increase in online crimes, and complexity and variety of these crimes will continue to increase.
[Disagree]
- As technology advances, new security software has been developed and efforts are being made to prevent crimes.
- The police are intensifying their investigations and crackdowns, which is expected to result in higher arrest rates for criminals.
Topic 6
Should violent scenes in publications and videos be regulated?
[Yes]
- Exposure to violent scenes can lead children to become more aggressive and prone to violence.
- Violent scenes can be addictive, and individuals may develop a tendency to seek out more extreme materials.
- Children may not be able to distinguish between reality and unreality.
- With the ease of posting violent content on the Internet, the potential negative effects could be endless if the Internet is not properly regulated.
[No]
- This is an infringement upon the freedom of expression and thought guaranteed by the Constitution.
- Rather than regulating freedom of expression, families and schools should be responsible for teaching individuals how to appropriately process information.
- The causal relationship between scenes of violence and aggression or crime is not entirely clear.
- It is virtually impossible to regulate all content on the Internet. This should be addressed on the consumer side.
Topic 7
Is the current Japanese society gender equal?
[Yes]
- Gender differences in educational opportunities for higher education have been improved.
- Women’s participation in society has progressed, providing them with more opportunities to play an active role in society.
- The working environment has been improved, resulting in a better working environment for women.
- Men’s attitudes toward housework and childcare have evolved.
[No]
- Women sometimes earn less on average than men.
- Women continue to bear a disproportionate burden of housework, childcare, and caregiving
- While the number of women in management positions has increased, but the percentage remains relatively low.
- There is a significant gender gap in the world, especially in the number of female ministers and legislators.
Topic 8
Agree or disagree: Japan has an excellent childcare environment.
[Agree]
- Japanese society is relatively safe, with low crime rates, and children can go out or stay home alone.
- Japan boasts a well-developed health insurance system and vaccinations are easily accessible.
- Compulsory education is well-established in Japan, equal educational opportunities are provided, and educational inequality is relatively low, compared to other countries in the world.
- Traditionally, Japan has maintained a well-balanced diet resulting in lower obesity rates compared to the United States.
[Disagree]
- Education costs are high in Japan, placing a heavy financial burden on parents.
- There are limited government subsidies or preferential treatment for childbirth and childcare in Japan.
- Balancing work and childcare can be challenging in Japan.
- In Japanese society, men do not take childcare leave, and there is still a an expectation for women to bear the full responsibility for childcare.
- Japanese houses are typically small, making it difficult to accommodate many children. In addition, urban areas have limited outdoor play spaces.
Topic 9
Agree or disagree: Depopulation of local cities will continue to increase.
[Agree]
- Urban areas have good infrastructure, public transportation, medical facilities, commercial facilities, recreational facilities, and other conveniences that make life easier.
- Urban areas tend to attract people because of the greater job prospects opportunities and higher salaries.
- Because of the large number of high-quality educational institutions in urban areas, it is anticipated that students will continue to be drawn to these locations and will secure employment there after graduation.
- For the elderly, urban living is also convenient and appealing, as it can help alleviate feelings of loneliness.
[Disagree]
- More people will consider relocating to rural areas as their parents age or they themselves retire.
- The lower cost of living in rural areas allows for a more comfortable lifestyle. Considering potential reductions in pension benefits, this will be favorable for their retirement.
- Remote working is possible through the Internet, and there is no information gap compared to urban areas.
- In contrast to cities, rural areas can offer a safer, less stressful, and healthier way of life.
Topic 10
Do you think telecommuting is a good thing?
[Yes]
- Telecommuting can be cost-effective because it eliminates the need for commuting and the use of office space.
- Telecommuting enables companies to hire talented people from all over the world.
- Telecommuting allows for a flexible work style, enabling employees to balance work with household responsibilities, childcare, and caregiving.
[No]
- Communication by phone or email can be limited, and telecommuting does not allow for direct conversations or meetings with colleagues.
- Telecommuting can potentially reduce productivity due to distractions from family matters.
- Telecommuting is applicable to only a limited number of industries and occupations.
Topic 11
Agree or disagree: More people will use e-learning in the future.
[Agree]
- E-learning does not require commuting to school, and tuition fees are relatively low.
- E-learning is not restricted by location or time, enabling individuals to balance work and childcare.
- E-learning offers a provides a vast selection of courses, allowing access to excellent classes from around the world.
- With e-learning, learners can choose the most suitable courses and have the option to repeat the course if they do not fully understand it.
[Disagree]
- In e-learning, there is no direct communication with the teacher and there is minimal interaction with fellow students.
- In e-learning, students tend to be isolated because there are no classmates around them, and as a result, it is difficult to maintain motivation.
- The initial investment in creating an Internet environment can be costly and requires knowledge and skills to use.
- Group work, discussions, and subjects involving experiments and practical skills are challenging to offer through e-learning.
Topic 12
Agree or disagree: Japanese people lead healthy lifestyles.
[Agree]
- Japan has one of the longest life expectancies in the world, which reflects the fact that Japanese people are healthy.
- In Japan, the universal health insurance system allows people to receive excellent medical care at low cost, which increases the likelihood of complete recovery from illness.
- Many people in Japan eat a well-balanced diet.
- The media in Japan frequently covers medical care and health, raising public awareness.
[Disagree]
- Japanese people are too busy with work, housework, and child-rearing to eat and sleep well.
- Japanese people are getting less exercise due to lifestyle changes, such as increased car usage and Internet addiction.
- Stress and mental health issues are on the rise in modern Japanese society.
Topic 13
Agree or disagree: Sports are essential for the healthy development of children.
[Agree]
- Regularly playing sports from a young age enhances physical fitness.
- Sports teach children discipline, patience, and courtesy.
- Team sports foster cooperation and consideration for teammates.
- Physical exercise helps relieve stress and allows students to concentrate on their studies.
- Familiarity and enjoyment of sports from childhood can lead to a lifelong commitment to sports and better health.
[Disagree]
- Children who are not good at sports, being forced to participate can lead to a loss of confidence.
- Sports are good for the health, but excessive practice is not necessary for children.
Topic 14
Agree or disagree: No Overtime Day is a good thing.
- With no-overtime days, there is less worry about overworking and the associated health risks.
- Implementing no-overtime days can improve productivity by ensuring that work is completed within the allocated time, reducing time wastage.
- The introduction of no-overtime days can lead to a reduction in labor costs, which will ultimately lead to more profit for the company.
- The introduction of no-overtime days encourages men to participate in housework and childcare, potentially helping to curb the declining birthrate.
- No-overtime days enable employees to leave the office earlier, boosting consumption related to hobbies and leisure activities.
[Disagree]
- Even with no-overtime days, employees will still have to take home work that cannot be completed within regular work hours, leaving their total working hours unchanged.
- If no-overtime days are introduced, overtime pay will decrease, making life more difficult for employees.
- The introduction of no-overtime days may result in a decrease in overall workload and potentially affecting company performance.
- No-overtime days may not allow for urgent cases to be handled.
Topic 15
Agree or disagree: Promoting tourism is beneficial to the region.
- Promoting tourism will increase the use of tourist attractions, stores, restaurants, transportation, and accommodation facilities by tourists.
- Tourism promotion will increase employment due to the economic benefits it generates.
- Tourism promotion can lead to improved infrastructure and enrich the lives of local residents and tourists.
- Local residents will be more motivated to preserve tourism resources through tourism promotion.
- Branding the area as a tourist destination will give local residents a sense of pride and help prevent depopulation.
[Disagree]
- The development of the area into a tourist destination could lead to the destruction of natural resources and the lives of local residents will be adversely affected.
- The increase in the number of tourists may worsen the living environment due to issues such as traffic congestion, noise problems, and garbage problems.
- Tax revenues should be allocated to address pressing issues such as education, environment, and poverty, rather than tourism.
Topic 16
Agree or disagree: Japanese people are environmentally conscious.
- Bringing one’s own shopping bags has reduced the use of disposable items.
- In Japan, waste sorting is more thorough than in the past.
- LED light bulbs and electricity-efficient appliances are widely used in Japan, and Japanese people also have greater consideration for air conditioner temperature settings.
- Japan promotes the use of eco-friendly vehicles that emit fewer greenhouse gases and advances car-sharing services.
[Disagree]
- Japanese people are aware of environmental problems but find it difficult to change their lifestyles, and their electricity consumption remains high.
- Cars are indispensable, particularly for the elderly, and their use is unlikely to decrease significantly in the future.
いかがでしょうか。
それでは、明日の試験を頑張ってください。