2004 May

CHOOSE ONE OF THE TOPICS BELOW
· Mark which essay you have chosen, for instance 1A or1lB, etc.
· Write 300-350 words
· You have 90 minutes to complete the task
· Do not give any information which would reveal your identity
· Clearly mark which sheet is the draft and the clean copy
· You must hand in all sheets
· Put the code on each sheet you hand in

1. All over the world millions of homosexuals are waiting for state legislation to give consent to their marriage. The issue has been seriously addressed in the US as part of the presidential campaign; some states have already issued marriage licenses, and others are considering their withdrawal. Debates about gay marriage have also appeared on popular Hungarian talk shows where advocates have said that they would like to have an official certificate which would guarantee them the same legal rights as those of a married couple.

Write an essay to be published in a local English-language paper:
A. explaining why you think the issue is just part of the US presidential campaign and should not be considered seriously.

OR:
B. explaining why you think this issue is worth considering and what measures should be taken in Hungary as weIl.


2. English in decline as a first language, study says
February, 2004 - New studies on world language habits argue that the world's language system is at a crossroads, and a new linguistic order is about to emerge. Among other findings, experts suggest Mandarin Chinese is probably the next must-learn language, while many rural languages face extinction. (Source: National Geographic, 03/19/2004)

Write an essay to be published in an English student newsletter:
A. explaining why you think it is crucial to have a common language and that it should be the one that is
spoken by most people in the world.

OR:
B. explaining why you think that a common language is not a must, and people's needs clearly show
which language to use.


3. Young people today seem to resort to non-traditional ways of meeting each other. One of these unconventional ways is chat rooms on the Internet. People with more experience than the young are somewhat wary of these chatrooms because they are aware of all the dangers this kind of dating involves.

Write an essay to be published in a local English-language paper:
A. explaining and proving why chatrooms and dating on the Internet are completely safe and should be
recommended to people who want to meet other people.

OR:
B. explaining and proving why chatrooms are dangerous, because you never know who you are talking to and this may lead to complications.