Session 1 - free time activities for children + subsidy on fruits & veggies

Some people say free time activities for children should always be organized for them. Others say that children should be free to choose what they do in their free time.  Discuss both views and give your opinion.

Opinions are divided on whether the _________________ of free time activities should be done for children, or if they should be given complete _______________ in this _________. In my opinion, it is best to _________ these approaches, balancing guidance from adults with the young’s freedom of choice. 

arrangement, autonomy, regard, combine

__________ of parents’ control/ arrangements made by adults highlight the risks associated with giving children __________ freedom. Most notably, owing to their age and lack of control, they might enjoy activities that are ________________________. A good example of this is the addiction to computer games among many children, which can lead to not only various eye-related problems but also __________ lifestyles that __________ their physical growth. In this case, the __________ enjoyment of such games is simply not a ________________________ for the young’s long-term development, and the participation in activities such as ones related to sports would be a matter of __________. Furthermore, it is also likely that the recommended activities can also introduce children to new hobbies that they might be interested in, which can have a positive impact on their lives. However, it should be noted that constant control by parents is not always practical, since they might be __________ with other responsibilities, nor is it __________ necessary, considering that not all children have unhealthy habits.

Supporters, excessive, potentially harmful, sedentary, stunt , ephemeral , reasonable trade-off, necessity, occupied , invariably

________________ the above ____________, there are ________________________ in ____________ of children’s free choices. The most important reason here is that if a child is ____________ interested in an activity, they are more likely to find it meaningful and ____________ joy from/ take joy in doing it. (example) By contrast, ____________ them to take part in activities they dislike could turn their free time into a burden, in both physical and emotional ____________. Another benefit to this practice is that children can improve their decision-making skills by adding activities they enjoy and removing ones they have ____________ interest in. This process would not only ____________ their independent thinking, which is ____________, but also help to nurture their sense of identity.

Notwithstanding , standpoint, compelling arguments, favor , genuinely , derive , forcing , terms, little, bolster, instrumental

On __________, I acknowledge the benefits of both approaches. Thus, the optimal solution here would be to __________ them, allowing the young to choose how to spend their free time on certain days, and making them __________ in a planned schedule on others. By doing this, they can both feel more satisfied and minimize the involvement in potentially __________ __________.

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On balance, I acknowledge the benefits of both approaches. Thus, the best option would be to __________ children choose their free-time activities for the __________ __________, as __________ as these are safe and age-appropriate. __________ should still be involved, but mostly for the purpose of giving suggestions for __________ __________ or preventing __________ ones.

balance, combine, partake, harmful indulgences, let , most part, long, Adults , meaningful pastimes, harmful

Some people think that the government should subsidise fruit and vegetables to make healthy food more affordable. Others argue that the government should tax unhealthy food instead. Discuss both these views and give your own opinion.

Opinions are divided on whether fruit and vegetables should be __________________ to make healthy meals less expensive or if taxing unhealthy food would be a more effective solution. I believe both approaches have their benefits and drawbacks, which make them __________________ solutions rather than long-term ones. 

subsidized, temporary

Supporters of subsidies for fresh produce argue that they make healthy food more _____________ . At present, fruit and vegetables tend to be _________ expensive, due to _______ (chi phí) related to ______________(delivery) and ______________ (bảo quản). Giving financial support to these products would reduce their prices, encouraging more people to _______ (eat) them, which would contribute to healthier _______ _______ (lựa chọn ăn uống) consisting of more minerals, vitamins and fibre. However, healthy food ______________ (include) a wide variety of food sources, and not all _______ (người tiêu dùng) enjoy vegetable and fruits, which means their lower prices would not ______________ (nhất thiết) attract more _______ (those making purchases). 

affordable, relatively, fees, transportation, preservation, consume, dietary choices, encompasses, consumers, necessarily, buyers

On the other hand, taxing unhealthy food has two main _______________. The first ___________ its _____________ impact on people’s health. Examples of this include energy drinks with high levels of sugar, fast food items containing large amounts of salt and fat, and snacks with _____________ (possibly) harmful ____________ ______________ (chất phụ gia tạo màu). Their _____________ _____________ (sự có sẵn tràn lan), _________ (kèm với - negative) with relatively low prices, makes them _____________ (phổ biến) choices for _____________ (thường xuyên) consumers. Imposing higher taxes on such products would make them less _____________ (attractive) to the public, contributing to a shift __________ (to) healthier food _____________ (choices). The drawback of this approach, nonetheless, is that it puts more pressure on not only producers and sellers, but also _______ ______ (người mua thông thường), many of whom are unable to afford healthier meals for financial reasons or _____________ _____________ (job dedication). In fact, it is possible that people would simply _____________ (adapt) their _____________ (chi tiêu) to buy the unhealthy food they enjoy, thereby _____________ (negating) the effects of this approach. 

justifications, concerns, detrimental, potentially, coloring additives, widespread availability, coupled, popular, regular, appealing, towards, options, ordinary buyers, work commitments, adjust, spending, nullifying

On balance, I __________ (believe) that there are both advantages and disadvantages to the two given approaches. Their ________________ (thực hiện) might have an impact in the short term, but it would fail to ____ ___ ____ ____ _____ (do not exist permanently). More sustainable _________ ___________ (cải cách xoay) around raising people’s awareness of the possible health consequences of consuming unhealthy food, motivating them to _________ (chủ động) opt for ________ ________ (những bữa ăn lành mạnh hơn). This, of course, would also _____________ (make sth more necessary) more effective ________ ________ (chính sách về giá cả) from the government to make healthy food __________ (nguồn) in general more accessible to the public. 

contend, implementation, persist in the long run, reforms revolve, actively, healthier meals, necessitate, pricing policies, sources