We're doing a speaking and listening activity in english - but what shall we do?

Question

We have to go in pairs and present a topic in font of the class - it can be on anything but preferably an argumentative speech of some sort?! Can you give some ideas? My friend wants to do it on fur, I know it is a good topic, but the teachers are forever getting presentations about this, I want ours to stand out! But if not, could you please give some ideas FOR fur - it's very difficult and knowing my friend, she'll probably take the AGAINST fur argument, as she is very against it - as am I, but I am not so involved.

Answer 1

Other topics you could use are:

- Immigration - ie: are immigrants good for the country?
- Smoking - ie: should it be banned in public places or not?
- CCTV - is there too much surveillance of people these days?
- Road charging - should we be charged for using the roads?
- Smacking children - ie: is it good for them, and should parents be allowed to smack?
- Iraq ie: should we get out or not?
- Should the UK develop closer ties with the USA, or should we aim to align ourselves with Europe instead?
- Should Knut the polar bear be killed or not? (Try Googling if you aren't sure what I'm talking about)

Answer 2

Look in a few daily newspapers, and you will probably find lots of topics that are controversial. For example, bio-engineered foods, illegal immigration, pork barrel politics (where a project that will win votes for a particular senator or representative ends up as a trailer to a popular bill that is sure to pass), welfare reform, etc. Another topic you could consider is should the military draft be reinstated and if so, should it apply to both men and women. You could even argue about income-based college scholarships and grants. My husband and I have always saved for our future and started saving for our son's college expenses when he was born. Because of that, he qualified for no scholarships (in spite of a 4.0+ gpa) that were income-based and no grants. Kids whose parents spend all they earn on expensive vacations, fancy cars, etc., were more apt to get financial aid. I think this policy is unfair--partially because it denied my son any assistance, but also because it denies help to kids whose parents can afford to send them to college, but choose not to do so. I worked my way through, but that was when college was much cheaper than it is now.

If you do end up with the fur topic, you could soft-pedal the "pro" side. That is, you could still be against using furs from endangered species or even any wild species, but be okay with the ones raised for the purpose of producing furs. Many pelts for furs are taken from animals like mink and chinchilla raised strictly for that purpose. You could also talk about fur from rabbits that were raised for food, but whose pelts were also used for fur collars, etc. The animals raised for fur (or those raised for meat, but who also produce fur) can be compared to the cows, sheep, pigs, chickens, turkeys, geese, and ducks that are raised for food. Some by-products for this food production include leather (cows and pigs), down pillows and comforters, and wool.

Answer 3

Nowadys you could present the topic using recycling as an acceptable reason for wearing fur - lets face it you cannot kill an animal twice for its fur

Answer 4

Fur is a good idea, or you both could do about moral issues about stuff like Abortion , Gay Marriage , Euthanasia (helping someone kill themselves). Or do politicial issues like the War of Iraq. Or something different like the pros and cons of eating meats. etc.

Answer 5

Well you could try and choose something that you feel partularly strongly about that way you'll put a good argument across. You could try something like endangered animals, hunting, gm foods, anything really, but try and make it something you actually care about that way it should be good no matter what.

Answer 6

DONT KILL SPOTED LEPORDS FOR FUR!!! DONT POACH LIONS FOR FUR!!! MANY ANIMALS ARE GOING EXTINCT BECAUSE OF FUR POACHING!!!