Category: Outlines

To what extent are foreign television programmes destroying the culture of your country?

Possible points for are foreign television programmes destroying the culture of your country

• Could offend various religions/traditions
• Seduced by foreign lifestyles
• Encourage migration
• Takes power away from the authorities, including parents
• Influences the young
• Could embrace and absorb positive aspects of foreign countries
• Encourages tolerance and global integration
• Education and awareness
• Share cultures
• Access to behaviour and attitudes around the world
• The internet has more influence anyway
• Definition and examples of ‘culture’ needed
• Specific reference to television programmes is required.

Examine whether manners and courtesy have any value in today’s society.

Possible points for whether manners and courtesy have any value in today’s society.

• A culture of selfish materialism
• Competition/ambition seen as a strength and courtesy as a weakness
• Attitude – old fashioned – depends on upbringing/education
• Essential within the culture of some countries (Japan/Nepal)
• Level of social skills – produces cohesion/less tension
• Manners and courtesy can be used to persuade and manipulate

To what extent have political decisions improved the lives of people in your country?

Points for/against have political decisions improved the lives of people in your country

• Family
• Education
• Economy
• How have political decisions improved the employment situation
• Infrastructure
• Equality
• Justice
• Protection of poor/vulnerable
• Welfare
• ‘To what extent’ needs to be addressed and linked to ‘improved’ for Band 2

To what extent is the safety of foreign tourists the responsibility of the country they are visiting?

Points for/against the claim that the safety of foreign tourists the responsibility of the country they are visiting

• Well trained professionals/guides/reps
• Safety of infrastructure for tourists (hotels/transport)
• Properly monitored by the authorities
• Protection against terrorism/crime
• Tourists’ responsibility to take safety precautions – e.g. relevant vaccinations
• Respect the culture and values of the host country
• Necessary insurance
• To take note of advice/warnings
• Thorough research of the host country

‘There are circumstances in which curiosity might endanger scientific progress.’ Discuss.

Possible points for and against the claim that curiosity might endanger scientific progress.

• May does not consider the implications of research without guidelines
• May create Frankenstein’s monster
• May have their own agenda, instead of the needs of society
• Could release dangerous organisms into the world
• Without curiosity we would perhaps be denied a variety of discoveries, explanations, etc.
• Weaponry

How far has music, art or theatre influenced your outlook on the world?

Points for music, art or theatre influenced your outlook on the world.

• “the world” may be interpreted in several ways; an international, local, intellectual or
• music, art or theatre from a philosophical perspective
• Gender, generation, political leanings, may be relevant
• The influences may be external; concerts, galleries, visits to the theatre
• The influences may come from home entertainment; CDs, Internet, TV, Radio
• Without examples the higher mark bands cannot be accessed
• Allow various art forms; dance, ballet, film for example
• Consider commenting on lack of access to a wider culture
• Evaluate the effect of personal experiences on how to view the world is shaped

To what extent can sport foster a sense of community beyond the events themselves?

Possible points for can sport foster a sense of community beyond the events.

• The Olympic spirit
• Encouragement of harmless patriotism
• Antidote to racism and other forms of discrimination
• Informal opportunities for world leaders to meet
• Can be a spur to economic development
• Encourages sharing of enthusiasms and interests
• Can produce appalling forms of exploitation
• Can engender xenophobia and hooliganism
• Can provide opportunities for unscrupulous politicians
• May result in feelings of national humiliation
• Adds to the dominance of strong nations
• Is an expensive distraction

The world faces many global challenges. Choose one, and explain why it ought to be taken more seriously.

Possible points for the world faces many global challenges

• The gap between the rich and the poor
• Environmental issues; oceans, air pollution and so on
• Religious conflicts
• Nuclear and/or chemical warfare
• The world faces many global challenges in form of various health issues – for example, decreasing efficacy of antibiotics
• Extinction of species
• Population growth
• Cyberattacks
• Illiteracy
• Tensions between developed and less developed countries/regions
• The drugs’ trade
• Migration


The question asks for one challenge to be identified. This challenge should be clearly stated but that does NOT preclude mention of related matters. The list of challenges cited above is not exhaustive and there may be other equally valid examples used in the essay.