C1.2 Blog

How would you tackle problems like bullying or other serious problems which might arise in schools?
What is the best way to learn a language?
When it comes to rewards and punishments, which is more effective -- the carrot or the stick?
Do schools and universities prepare people for the real world? Why? Why not? How might school and university education be improved?

PART 2. MONOLOGUE

Talk about at least two of the following ideas. (4 minutes approx.) The examiner may ask you further questions about the topic.

CANDIDATE A

What are the benefits and drawbacks of taking a gap year?
What are the advantages and disadvantages of homeschooling?
“It takes a village to raise a child”. Do you agree with this African proverb? To what extent are we all responsible for the actions and behaviour of our children?

CANDIDATE B

Advantages and disadvantages of online learning
What will the school of the future be like?
What makes a good teacher?

Ready for C1 p 77. Crime and Punishment. Interaction. Sample Answer

1. Conversation: Talk about the following questions with your partner for about 7 minutes. The pictures are there to help you.

1. Do you think the main aim of prison should be punishment or rehabilitation? Why? Can both be achieved?

2. Would you say cybercrime is becoming more widespread? Why or why not? What measures could be taken to prevent it?

3. Can you think of any real-life examples of phishing or pharming scams? How do they work?

4. Have you ever been deceived by a scammer or con artist? If so, what happened, and what did you learn from the experience?

Sample answer:

1. Do you think the main aim of prison should be punishment or rehabilitation? Why? Can both be achieved?

Alice: Before we get into the details, where do you (1)_________ on this issue, Ben? Should prisons focus more (2)____________ punishing offenders, or is rehabilitation the key?

Ben: Personally, I feel that rehabilitation should take precedence. Let me (3)____________ why. A prison system (4)_____________ prioritises reform over retribution can help offenders reintegrate (5)___________ society and reduce reoffending rates.

Alice: I see (6)___________ you're saying, but I’m inclined to believe that punishment also plays a crucial (7)_____________. Surely, it is completely unacceptable that dangerous criminals are given lenient (8)______________ in the name of rehabilitation.

Ben: (9)____________ nobody can deny that punishment acts as a (10)_____________ against crime, I would like to (11)___________ out that simply incarcerating people without addressing the root (12)____________ of their behaviour does little to tackle long-term reoffending.

Alice: That’s a fair argument. (13)_____________, don’t you think that some individuals, particularly repeat offenders or those convicted (14)__________ violent felonies, have little rehabilitating capacity?

Ben: Admittedly, some criminals may never change. However, on the (15)____________, a system that emphasises rehabilitation is (16)____________ more effective than one based purely (17)___________ punishment. (18)__________ fact, Scandinavian countries have demonstrated that a focus on reform significantly reduces reoffending rates.

Alice: That’s an interesting perspective. It should be noted that for petty offenders, imposing alternative sentences (19)____________ as community service could be a much more successful approach than incarceration.

Ben: Exactly! Besides, it beggars (20)_______________ how some individuals serve lengthy sentences for minor crimes, whereas white-collar criminals convicted of embezzlement or (21)____________ laundering often receive relatively light punishments.

Alice: That does seem unfair. (22)____________ balance, I believe both punishment and rehabilitation should work together to create a more efficient justice system.

2. Would you say cybercrime is becoming more widespread? Why or why not? What measures could be taken to prevent it?

Alice: (23)____________ discussed the role of prisons, shall we now turn (24)_____________ the growing issue of cybercrime? Would you say online criminal activity is becoming more prevalent, and if (25)_____________, why do you think this is?

Ben: Oh, absolutely! It seems to me that cybercrime is (26)__________ the rise at an alarming rate. Have you ever (27)______________ just how easy it is for hackers to steal personal data these days?

Alice: Indeed, and what is particularly shocking is the sophistication of modern scams. Identity (28)______________, for example, has skyrocketed, leaving thousands of people vulnerable (29)____________ fraud.

Ben: It goes (30)_______________ saying that stricter regulations and international cooperation are needed to crack (31)____________ on cybercriminals. Nevertheless, enforcement is a major challenge (32)____________ hackers can operate from anywhere in the world, making prosecution incredibly difficult.

Alice: That’s a good point. I was extremely impressed by a recent case (33)_____________ authorities managed to dismantle a major phishing network operating across multiple countries. However, (34)___________ such efforts, new scams keep emerging.

Ben: Yes, and that’s (35)____________ individuals and companies must take responsibility as well. Presumably, stronger password policies, multi-factor authentication, and regular cybersecurity training could help (36)___________ hackers.

Alice: I couldn’t (37)___________ more. It is worth bearing in (38)_____________ that raising awareness is just as important as legal measures. An informed user is far (39)___________ likely to fall victim (40)____________ a scam.

3. Can you think of any real-life examples of phishing or pharming scams? How do they work?

Ben: Speaking (41)___________ scams, can you think of any real-life examples of phishing or pharming that you’ve come across?

Alice: Oh, absolutely! Have you heard of those emails that appear to be from your bank, asking you to verify your login details? At first (42)_____________, they seem legitimate, (43)__________ in fact, they contain subtle errors that reveal they’re fraudulent.

Ben: Yes! That’s a classic phishing scam. And then there’s pharming, which is even more dangerous because users are redirected to fraudulent websites without their knowledge, where their personal details are stolen and used to steal money from them.

Alice: That’s terrifying! It (44)_____________ be true that technology has made our lives more convenient, but we must take into (45)____________ the risks that come with it.

Ben: Exactly! To sum (46)_____________, staying vigilant and verifying information before providing personal details online is crucial (47)___________ avoiding these scams.

4. Have you ever been deceived by a scammer or con artist? If so, what happened, and what did you learn from the experience?

Alice: Shall we now (48)______________ on to something more personal? Have you ever been tricked by a scammer or con artist?

Ben: Well, I can speak (49)______________ experience when I say that scams can be incredibly deceptive. A few years ago, I nearly fell (50)__________ a phone scam where someone pretended to be from my bank.

Alice: Oh no! That must have been stressful. What exactly happened?

Ben: They told me there had been suspicious activity on my account and asked me to confirm my personal details. They sounded (51)____________ professional that I almost gave them the information!

Alice: That’s shocking! It seems unbelievable how convincing these fraudsters can be.

Ben: Indeed! Thankfully, I hesitated and decided to call my bank directly, which confirmed that it was a scam. (52)______________ to say, I’m much more cautious now.

Alice: That must have been a real eye-opener. In no (53)___________ would I agree that scams are always easy to spot—they’re becoming increasingly sophisticated.

Ben: Absolutely! All in (54)__________, the best way to protect ourselves is through awareness, scepticism, and verifying information before taking action.

Final Thoughts

Alice: This has been a fascinating discussion! (55)____________ and large, I think we both agree that (56)____________ punishment is important, rehabilitation is essential to reduce crime. As (57)___________ cybercrime, it’s clear that awareness and security measures are vital to tackle the issue.

Ben: Yes, and what is particularly concerning is how scams continue to evolve. We must acknowledge the fact that even the most tech-savvy individuals can be affected by fraud. On the (58)_____________, education and vigilance are the best defences.

Alice: Agreed! It’s been great debating these topics with you.

Ben: Likewise! Until next time

KEY

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