Free-talking for Advanced Vol.

Free Talking Topics Vol. 2 for Advanced Students

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Table of Contents
Topic 1: The "War on Terror" Topic 2: Is America Ready to Elect a Black President in 2008? Topic 3: Nuclear Proliferation Topic 4: China: The Next Economic Superpower Topic 5: Korean Appointed as New UN Secretary General Topic 6: Stress-Driven Obsession to Online Games in Korea Topic 7: China Treats Internet Addicts Severely Topic 8: Space Travel for the Masses Topic 9: Exercise Helps Keep Your Psyche Fit Topic 10: Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love Topic 11: Global Warming Topic 12: Racism: A Crime or a Sickness Topic 13: Shortening the Military Service in South Korea Topic 14: The Kimchi: beyond an Exotic Dish Topic 15: Gr8! Topic 16: The Korean Air Pollution Problems Topic 17: The NAFTA: An FAQ Topic 18: The Ethics of Human Cloning Topic 19: Wellness: What's that again? Topic 20: The Harry Potter Series: Completed

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 1

The War on Terror

Last September marked the fifth year of the U.S. governments war on terror--a war that, even more than the Cold War against the former USSR, knows no boundaries and no end. In its name, the U.S. and its allies have inflicted misery and suffering across the Middle East and around the globe. The war on terror hasnt made the world a safer place. On the contrary, the world is a far more deadly and dangerous place. It certainly is for the people of Iraq, living under the boot of occupation. And for Palestinians and Lebanese, dying under missiles made in the U.S. and fired by Israeli warplanes. And for Syrians and Iranians, who could pay the price if the U.S. politicians baying for new wars get their way. And for millions of Arabs and Muslims who live in fear of arrest, detention or deportation in the U.S. or Europe--for speaking the wrong language or wearing the wrong clothes in the wrong place at the wrong time. Today, the death and destruction is being borne mostly by the people of the Middle East. But the U.S. governments imperialist aggression is setting the stage for more wars, more conflict and more deadly violence everywhere in the world. Iran is about to get nuclear weapons, which is a terrorist government, North Korea has four times more nuclear weapons than it did when George Bush took office. Osama bin Laden is still running around in northwest Pakistan, evidently able to convince people they ought to blow up American airplanes. And we are bogged down spending half a trillion dollars in Iraq. So far Washington has largely stayed silent about the ongoing U.S. war on Afghanistan, resisting the connection between Israels wars and Washingtons, and even retreating from the one demand that unified the antiwar movement--for the immediate withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq. But any antiwar movement that is worth the name must respond to every instance of violence and oppression connected to the Washington war machine. That means taking a stand against the war on terror on every one of its fronts--from Iraq to Afghanistan to Lebanon to Palestine, and beyond. (Source: Socialist Worker Online)

Questions and Discussion:

1. From your own understanding, what is the war on terror? 2. Express your opinion on the highlighted sentences in the article. 3. Do you agree that the war on terror is a war against Islam and that of its followers? 4. Do you think that the U.S. Government and its allies are acting to the best interest of all nations? Why or why not? 5. Do you believe that war is the only recourse to address the problem of international terrorism?

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Topic 2

Is America Ready to Elect a Black President in 2008?

Rock star and beach babe are not labels normally applied to United States senators. But few senators have ever generated the kind of buzz associated with Democrat Barack Obama of Illinois. He is being tipped as a formidable candidate to replace George W. Bush as president, although he will have spent only four years in Washington by Election Day 2008. He first shot to national and international prominence with a speech that stirred the 2004 Democratic National Convention. The son of a Kenyan man and a white woman from Kansas, Obama emphasized his personal history in a speech reflecting traditional American ideals of self-reliance and aspirations. Through hard work and perseverance, my father got a scholarship to study in a magical place America which stood as a beacon of freedom and opportunity to so many who had come before, he said. Since his landslide election victory a few months later, he has become a media darling and one of the most visible figures in Washington. Obama studied political science at Columbia University in New York, and then moved to Chicago where he spent three years as a community organizer. In 1988, he left to attend Harvard Law School, where he became the first African-American president of the Harvard Law review. Obama was an early critic of the Iraq war, speaking out against the prospect of war several months before the March 2003 invasion. When he addressed Democrats in Boston, he praised the men and women serving in Iraq, and said more should be done to financially support the families of those killed. When we send our young men and women into harms way, we have a solemn obligation not to fudge the numbers or shade the truth about why theyre going, to care for their families while theyre gone, to tend to the soldiers upon their return, and to never ever go to war without enough troops to win the war, secure the peace, and earn the respect of the world, he said. Time magazine headlined an October 2006 cover Why Barack Obama could be the next president, and talk-show host Oprah Winfrey urged him to declare his candidacy on her program. His two books have both become best-sellers, and delirious crowds turned out to see him on the campaign trail for other Democrats last year. (Source: The National)

Questions and Discussion:

1. In your opinion, do you think America is ready to take on its first AfricanAmerican president? 2. What does Obamas statement on the war in Iraq say about the kind of president he will be if elected?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 3. With the kind of negative response the U.S. has gotten in recent years for its very pro-war stance on major international issues, do you think that a democrat president would be able to change this outlook? 4. If youre an American, would you consider voting for Obama based on his qualifications as enumerated in the article?

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Topic 3

Nuclear Proliferation

Nuclear proliferation is the spread of nuclear weapons production technology and knowledge to nations that do not already have such capabilities. It has been opposed by many nations with and without nuclear weapons, who fear that more countries with nuclear weapons may increase the possibility of nuclear warfare, de-stabilize international or regional relations, or infringe upon the national sovereignty of individual nation-states. Other nations have pursued their own independent weapons development, calling into question the authority of some countries being able to specify who can or cannot have their own defensive nuclear weapons. Earnest international efforts to promote nuclear non-proliferation did not begin until the late-1960s, after five nations had acquired nuclear weapons. Since then, the primary focus of anti-proliferation efforts has been to maintain control over the specialized materials necessary to build such devices because this is the most difficult and expensive part of a nuclear weapons program. The main materials whose generation and distribution is controlled are highly enriched uranium and plutonium. Other than the acquisition of these special materials, the scientific and technical means for weapons construction to develop rudimentary, but working, nuclear devices are, although non-trivial, considered to be within the reach of most nations. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has been the primary international antiproliferation organization since it was established in 1957 by the United Nations. It operates a safeguards system as specified under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) of 1968. It has involved cooperation in developing nuclear energy while ensuring that civil uranium, plutonium, and associated plants are used only for peaceful purposes and do not contribute in any way to proliferation or nuclear weapons programs. Most countries have renounced nuclear weapons, stating that possession of them would threaten rather than enhance national security. They have therefore embraced the NPT as a public commitment to use nuclear materials and technology only for peaceful purposes. (Source: Wikipedia)

Questions and Discussion:

1. Briefly explain what Nuclear Proliferation is as defined in the passage. 2. Give your thoughts on the last sentence in the first paragraph. 3. What is the IAEA and the NPT? In your opinion, do you think both have been effective in addressing the problem of nuclear proliferation? 4. What do you think of the planned embargo of the U.N., as spearheaded by the U.S., against Iran on its Nuclear Program? Do you think this move is justified?

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Topic 4

China: The Next Economic Superpower

China recently said that its economy was far bigger than previously estimated and that new figures suggested it had probably passed France, Italy and Britain to become the world's fourth-largest economy. The announcement sent economists and financial prognosticators scrambling to rethink their assessments of the rise of China and its role on the world stage. Many of them even brought forward their estimations of when China might eclipse the United States as the world's biggest economy. "We now have a new snapshot of the Chinese economy," said Hong Liang, an economist at Goldman Sachs in Hong Kong. "This is not slightly bigger; it's a significantly bigger economy." China revised its economic data after a yearlong nationwide economic census uncovered about $280 billion in hidden economic output in China for 2004. The amount is roughly equivalent to an economy the size of Turkey or Indonesia, or 40 percent of India's economy. That means that China's gross domestic product in 2004 was nearly $2 trillion, not the $1.65 trillion previously reported. With its GDP up 17 percent, China was the sixth-largest economy in the world last year. And with China expected to report another year of sizzling economic growth in 2005, its economy may already be ranked fourth, trailing only that of the United States, Japan and Germany. The new figures provide good news for China, economists say, suggesting that the country's economy is healthier, more diversified and more capable of sustaining growth than previously believed. The revised figures, for instance, show that a much stronger services sector has emerged in the Chinese economy, taking some weight off the manufacturing sector. They also show that there are more small and medium-size companies in the country. Economists say there is little doubt now that China is a full-fledged economic superpower. While still far behind the United States, whose economy was valued at about $12.6 trillion last year, China continues to be home to the world's fastest-growing major economy, jumping more than 9 percent over the past few years. Other experts are moving forward their forecasts of when China might overtake the United States as the world's largest economy. Some have advanced their estimation to about 2035, from 2040. (Source: New York Times)

Questions and Discussion:

1. When is China expected to exceed the economy of America? 2. What was the reason for Chinas revision of its economic data?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 3. Do you think that there will be a trickle-down effect on the economy of other Asian countries when China finally becomes the leading economic superpower in the world? 4. Do you think that the U.S. will still have international political supremacy once China becomes the worlds biggest economy? 5. What do you think is the implication of Chinas fast economic growth on the Korean economy?

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Topic 5

Korean Appointed as New U.N. Secretary General

Applauding in acclamation, the United Nations General Assembly today appointed Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon of the Republic of Korea as the world bodys next Secretary-General, to succeed Kofi Annan. Addressing the assembled delegates, the Secretary-General-designate, who will be the UNs eighth chief and the second from Asia, pledged to carry out reforms, building on Mr. Annans legacy. My tenure will be marked by ceaseless efforts to build bridges and close divides. Leadership of harmony not division, by division not instruction, has served me well so far. I intend to stay the course as Secretary-General, he said. Mr. Ban referred to his own reputation of modest demeanor. Asia is also a region where modesty is a virtue. But the modesty is about demeanor, not about vision and goals. It does not mean the lack of commitment or leadership. Rather it is quiet determination in action to get things done without so much fanfare, he declared. This may be the key to Asias success, and to the UNs future. Indeed, our Organization is modest in its means, but not in its values. We should be more modest in our words, but not in our performance. Mr. Ban noted that the road towards peace, prosperity and dignity for all has many pitfalls. As Secretary-General, I will make the most of the authority invested in my office by the Charter and the mandate you give me. I will work diligently to materialize our responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of humanity and for the peaceful resolution of threats to international security and regional stability, he said. Underlining the efforts to reform the UN, he declared: Let us remember that reform is not to please others, but because we value what this Organization stands for. We need reform because we believe in the future. To revitalize our common endeavor is to renew our faith not only in the UNs programs and purposes but also in each other. We should demand more of ourselves as well as of our organization. Mr. Ban, who is no stranger to the world body, promised an open administration and pledged to work closely with all Member States and with the media. Earlier in his diplomatic career he served in his countrys mission to the UN and in 2001 was Chef de Cabinet to then General Assembly President Han Seung-soo of the Republic of Korea. Welcoming Mr. Ban, President Sheikha Haya Al Khalifa of Bahrain said his appointment comes at a time when the UN is deeply engaged in a wide-ranging reform process. We are grateful to Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who has played a major role in shaping a clear and comprehensive vision to address the many global challenges

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 confronting us, she declared. I am confident that the Organization will build upon its past achievements and move ahead to become an even more effective body under the leadership of Secretary-General designate Ban Ki-Moon. Mr. Annan hailed Mr. Ban as a future Secretary-General who is exceptionally attuned to the sensitivities of countries and constituencies in every continent a man with a truly global mind at the helm of the worlds only universal organization. More than 50 years ago, the first Secretary-General of the United Nations, Trygvie Lie, used the following words in greeting his successor, Dag Hammarskjld, and I quote: You are about to take over the most impossible job on Earth, end quote. While that may be true, I would say: this is also the best possible job on Earth, he added. The last Asian Secretary-General was U Thant of Myanmar (then called Burma), who left office in 1971.

Questions and Discussion:

1. How did Mr. Ban Ki-moon define modest demeanor? 2. Is Ban Ki-moon the first Asian UN secretary general? 3. From your own understanding, what did Mr. Annan mean when he said that the post of a UN secretary general is also the best possible job on earth? 4. Do you think the image of the UN will change with an Asian leading its top post? 5. As a Korean, do you feel more at ease that Mr. Ban Ki-moon has succeeded the position of secretary general in the United Nations? 6. What Korean values do you think the new secretary general can bring to his leadership of the UN?

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Topic 6

Stress-Driven Obsession to Online Games in Korea

SEOUL -- Unable to pass tough university entrance exams and under intense pressure from his parents to study harder, 20-year-old Kim Myung gradually retreated to the one place where he could still feel invincible -- the virtual world of electronic games. In front of his computer screen, Kim played hours upon hours of interactive role-playing games with other anonymous online gamers. When he slew zombies and ghouls with particular dexterity, he recalled, the flashing words "Excellent!" or "Masterstroke!" fired him up. Kim played from 8 a.m. until well after midnight -- and in the process, over four months, gained 10 pounds while surviving largely on one meal a day of instant noodles. In South Korea, the nation that experts describe as home to the world's most extreme gamer culture, authorities are alarmed by what many here are calling an epidemic of electronic game addiction. Last month, the government -- which opened a treatment center in 2002 -- launched a game addiction hotline. Hundreds of private hospitals and psychiatric clinics have opened units to treat the problem. The situation has grown so acute that 10 South Koreans -- mostly teenagers and people in their twenties -- died in 2005 from game addiction-related causes, up from only two known deaths from 2001 to 2004, according to government officials. Most of the deaths were attributed to a disruption in blood circulation caused by sitting in a single, cramped position for too long -- a problem known as "economy class syndrome," a reference to sitting in an airplane's smallest seats on long flights. "Game addiction has become one of our newest societal ills," said Son Yeongi, president of the Korea Agency for Digital Opportunity, which offers government-funded counseling. "Gaming itself is not the problem. Like anything, this is about excessive use." Experts are seeing more cases of game addiction in many industrialized nations -particularly the United States and Japan. But sociologists and psychiatrists have identified South Korea as the epicenter of the problem. That is in part because young people here suffer from acute stress as they face educational pressures said to far exceed those endured by their peers in other countries. It is not uncommon, for instance, for South Korean students to be forced by their parents into four to five hours of daily after-school tutoring. With drug abuse and teenage sex considered rare in the socially conservative country, escape through electronic games can be a hugely attractive outlet. (Source: The Washington Post)

Questions and Discussion:

1. Do you agree that game addiction has become one of the newest ills of Korean society? 2. What is highlighted as the main cause of online game addiction of mostly teenage Koreans?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 3. Apart from the game addiction hotline that provides counseling, what else do you think the Korean government can do to help address the problem? 4. Why do you think South Korea has become the epicenter of the problem of game addiction? 5. What activities would you suggest Korean teenagers can get involved in that is productive and not harmful to their health?

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Topic 7

China Treats Internet Addicts Severely

DAXING, China - Sun Jiting spends his days locked behind metal bars in this militaryrun installation, put there by his parents. The 17-year-old high school student is not allowed to communicate with friends back home, and his only companions are psychologists, nurses and other patients. Each morning at 6:30, he is jolted awake by a soldier in fatigues shouting, "This is for your own good!" Sun's offense: Internet addiction. Alarmed by a survey that found that nearly 14 percent of teens in China are vulnerable to becoming addicted to the Internet, the Chinese government has launched a nationwide campaign to stamp out what the Communist Youth League calls "a grave social problem" that threatens the nation. Few countries have been as effective historically in fighting drug and alcohol addiction as China, which has been lauded for its successes, as well as criticized for harsh techniques. The Chinese government in recent months has joined South Korea, Thailand and Vietnam in taking measures to try to limit the time teens spend online. It has passed regulations banning youths from Internet cafes and has implemented control programs that kick teens off networked games after five hours. There's a global controversy over whether heavy Internet use should be defined as a mental disorder, with some psychologists, including a handful in the United States, arguing that it should be. Backers of the notion say the addiction can be crippling, leading people to neglect work, school and social lives. But no country has gone quite as far as China in embracing the theory and mounting a public crusade against Internet addiction. To skeptics, the campaign dovetails a bit too nicely with China's broader effort to control what its citizens can see on the Internet. The Communist government runs a massive program that limits Web access, censors sites and seeks to control online political dissent. In the Internet-addiction campaign, the government is helping to fund eight in-patient rehabilitation clinics across the country. In some of these clinics, they use a tough-love approach that includes counseling, military discipline, drugs, hypnosis and mild electric shocks. Guo Tiejun, a school headmaster turned psychologist who runs an Internet-addiction research center in Shanghai, said the military-run clinic goes too far in treating Internet addicts like alcohol and drug addicts. He said that he has treated several former patients of the Daxing clinic and that one mother told him it was simply "suffering for a month" that did not help her son. He advocates a softer approach. Guo said he believes that the root of the problem is loneliness and that the most effective treatment is to treat the teens "like friends." (Source: The Washington Post)

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Questions and Discussion:

1. Do you believe that the methods being used by the Chinese Government to address the problem of internet addiction among its youth is severe? 2. Can you suggest an alternative to the rigid way that the Chinese Government is fighting the problem? 3. Do you think that what China is doing should be replicated in other countries where there is also a problem of online addiction, like Korea for example? 4. What are your thoughts on the global controversy that heavy internet use is a mental disorder? 5. Give your opinion on the highlighted sentence in the last paragraph.

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Topic 8

Space Travel for the Masses

A new era of human spaceflight is upon us, and its movers and shapers say it will be cheaper, safer and aimed at the masses. Whether you just want to experience weightlessness, take a quick suborbital jaunt or spend a few days aboard the International Space Station or a space hotel, new space companies are cropping up, eager to compete for your business. Representatives of the new industry spoke Saturday at Wired Magazine's NEXTFest. While fun and games capture the publics imagination and open pocket books, serious long-term commercial goals are also driving the push, said the five-person panel, which included a NASA spokesman as well as the presidents and CEO's of Space Adventures, ZERO-G, Virgin Galactic and Rocket Racing League. By filling in niches, such as orbital and sub-orbital flight, once occupied by NASA, private space companies will free up the agency's resources for other missions. "NASA's budget is 16.8 billion dollars-six-tenths of one percent of the federal budget," said Chris Shank, special assistant to NASA chief, Michael Griffin. "For us to finish the International Space Station, go to the Moon and then on to Mars is going to require commercial and international investments. NASA can't do it by itself." With backing from Virgin mogul Sir Richard Branson, Virgin Galactic is planning to roll out its new commercial spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo, by 2008. Designed by X-Prize winner Burt Rutan, SpaceShipTwo will climb into suborbital space and give passengers a chance to experience weightlessness for several minutes. The price tag for the 2.5 hour trip: $200,000. That cost is less than one percent the cost of another space package offered by the Virginia-based space tourism company Space Adventures. For about $25 million, a person can sign up with the company and, under a deal arranged with the Russian Federal Space Agency, blast off into space aboard a Soyuz rocket and spend more than a week aboard the ISS. Since 2001, four space tourists have signed up for the trip. The latest, Anousheh Ansari, was the first woman to do so. For an additional $15 million, Space Adventures is offering participants the chance to take part in 90-minute space walks. And plans are in the work for a 3-day trip to the moon and back for $200 million. Written by: Ker Than

Questions and Discussion:

1. Does the idea of Space Travel appeal to you?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 2. If you had a surplus of money, would you consider space travel? 3. If given the chance to choose from among the space travel packages mentioned in the article, which one would you avail of? 4. Do you think that the $25 million paid by the first female space tourist Anousheh Ansari to travel to space with Russian astronauts for a week was worth it? 5. How do you foresee space travel in the far future?

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Topic 9

Exercise Helps Keep Your Psyche Fit

Exercise is an effective, cost-effective treatment for depression and may help in the treatment of other mental disorders. Among other facts, exercise decreases the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke and related factors, decreases the risk of various cancers, lowers blood pressure, improves metabolism, reduces problems related to diabetes, assists in the maintenance of bone density, and improves your immune system. But did you know that exercise is also good for your head? The most common treatments for depression, for example, are psychotherapy or medication. Psychologists have found that exercise is a third successful alternative. In a 1990 meta-analysis (an analysis that statistically summarized eighty studies of exercise and depression), a research team that included psychologist Penny McCullagh, PhD, reached the following conclusions: Exercise was a beneficial antidepressant both immediately and over the long term. Although exercise decreased depression among all populations studied, it was most effective in decreasing depression for those most physically and/or psychologically unhealthy at the start of the exercise program. Although exercise significantly decreased depression across all age categories, the older people were (the ages ranged from eleven to fifty-five), the greater the decrease in depression with exercise. Exercise was an equally effective antidepressant for both genders. Walking and jogging were the most frequent forms of exercise that had been researched, but all modes of exercise examined, anaerobic as well as aerobic, were effective in lessening depression at least to some degree. The greater the length of the exercise program and the larger the total number of exercise sessions, the greater the decrease in depression with exercise. The most powerful antidepressant effect occurred with the combination of exercise and psychotherapy.

Both individual experiments and general findings repeatedly point to the power of exercise in the treatment of clinical depression. Other studies indicate that exercise can be important in the treatment of various types of anxiety; issues of self-esteem; weight loss and weight loss management; and addictions. Research is emerging on the effectiveness of exercise in the maintenance of cognitive or mental functioning and the treatment of serious mental illness. (Source: American Psychology Association)

Questions and Discussion:

1. What were some of the benefits of exercise mentioned in the article?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2 2. What is the third successful alternative treatment to depression? 3. Why do you think physical exertion is a good method for combating mental stress? 4. Have you ever experienced mental relaxation through exercise? 5. How important is exercise to your lifestyle?

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Topic 10

Taj Mahal: A Monument of Love

Every year, thousands of tourists board an express train or hire a car in New Delhi and journey to Agra on a pilgrimage to the Taj Mahal. To the Western World, the image of the curved white domes of the Taj Mahal, displayed endlessly on travel brochures, is synonymous with India. However, the postcard picture does not adequately convey the legend and romance that shroud the world's most well-preserved and architecturally beautiful tomb. In 1612, one of the world's greatest love stories began when Mumtaz Mahal, a Muslim Persian princess married Shah Jehan, known as Prince Khurram before he ascended to the throne in 1628 to become the 5th Mughal emperor. Although Mumtaz was Shah Jehan's second wife, she was considered his ultimate love match. Mumtaz accompanied her husband throughout his travels and military expeditions, and was his most trusted political adviser. Unfortunately, as with any legendary love story, tragedy lurked in their future. In 1630, Mumtaz died while giving birth to her 14th child. The emperor was overcome with grief, and vowed to keep his beloved wife's memory alive forever. He decided to build her a monument of eternal love. Because Mumtaz had endeared herself to the people with her kindness, the emperor's subjects were inspired to help build the spectacular monument. After twenty-two years and the combined effort of over twenty thousand workmen and master craftsmen, the monument was finally completed in 1648 at a cost of 32 million rupees. It was built with material from all over India and central Asia and required 1000 elephants to transport the material to the site. Construction documents show that Ustad Isa, a renowned architect of his time, was the genius behind the structure. Whether the Taj Mahal symbolizes eternal love, an emperor's power or a little of both, Shah Jehan deserves credit for turning the death of his wife into a symbol of lasting beauty. He bequeathed India and the world its most beautiful mausoleum. As English poet, Sir Edwin Arnold wrote, the Taj Mahal is "not a piece of architecture, as other buildings are, but the proud passions of an emperor's love wrought in living stones." Written by: Liane Beam

Questions and Discussion:

1. Who commissioned the building of Taj Mahal and what was his reason for doing so? 2. Why do you think millions of tourists from around the globe flock India just to see the Taj Mahal? 3. Do you think that the Taj Mahal remains to be one of the wonders of the world? 4. What to you is the Taj Mahal truly a symbol of?

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Topic 11

Global Warming

The term global warming is a specific example of the broader term climate change, which can also refer to global cooling. In principle, global warming is neutral as to the period or causes, but in common usage the term generally refers to recent warming and implies a human influence. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) uses the term "climate change" for human-caused change, and "climate variability" for other changes. Some organizations use the term "anthropogenic climate change" for human-induced changes. The climate system varies through natural, internal processes and in response to variations in external "forcing" from both human and natural causes. These forcing factors include solar activity, volcanic emissions, variations in the earth's orbit (orbital forcing) and greenhouse gases. The detailed causes of the recent warming remain an active field of research, but the scientific consensus identifies greenhouse gases as the main influence. The major natural greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane, and ozone. Greenhouse gases are transparent to shortwave radiation from the sun, the main source of heat on the Earth. However, they absorb some of the longer infrared radiation emitted by the Earth, thereby reducing radiational cooling and hence raising the temperature of the Earth. How much they warm the world by is shown in their global warming potential. The measure of the response to increased greenhouse gases and other anthropogenic and natural climate forcings is climate sensitivity. It is found by observational and model studies. This sensitivity is usually expressed in terms of the temperature response expected from a doubling of CO2 in the atmosphere. The current literature estimates sensitivity in the range of 1.5 to 4.5 C (2.7 to 8.1 F).

Questions and Discussion:

1. Based on the text, what is the main reason for Global Warming? 2. Give your own opinion on the issue of Global Warming. 3. Global warming is a widely known topic but a few can explain its processes. How can you explain global warming in practical ways for others to understand? 4. How can you help in reducing the effects of global warming in our world today? 5. What can you visualize in the following years if the current rate of Global warming will continue? 6. What other things can you share that is pertinent to the topic of global warming?

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Topic 12

Racism: A Crime or a Sickness?

The word racism acquired a new meaning in the late 1960s. Previously it had been used to denote a type of doctrine and was often distinguished from racialism, the practice of such a doctrine. The International Convention had defined racial discrimination as a practice that resembled a crime. Participants in the Civil Rights movement in the United States then gave a wider significance to racism, to denote racial prejudice and discrimination as well as associated doctrine. Racism in this wider sense was said to be institutionalized in white society and was represented as a social sickness. To call someone or something racist was to issue a potent moral condemnation. Thus, racism became a concept that empowered the African-Americans who had previously suffered from the racial assumptions of whites. When racism was defined from this purely North American perspective, it often excluded any possibility that a black person could be called racist. It seemed to simplify the issue by implying that there was a single evil to be eliminated rather than a variety of evils. However, if there were no distinction between racism and racial discrimination, one of the words must be redundant. If racism existed in the realm of ideas, it could be said that racism causes racial discrimination, since ideas are often translated into action. However, as customary patterns of behavior encourage corresponding ways of thinking, it could equally be maintained that racial discrimination causes racism. Thought and behavior thus influence each other.

Questions and Discussion:

1. Based on the text, can you give points between the difference of the words racism and racialism? 2. What is your view with regards to the African-American (Black American) racialism or discrimination? 3. Would you agree with the statement lifted from the text, If racism existed in the realm of ideas, it could be said that racism causes racial discrimination, since ideas are often translated into action? 4. What can you say about the passage Thought and behavior thus influence each other in reference to the article? 5. What is your view on Asian racialism which is seen as an addition to todays social issues? Have you ever experienced being discriminated upon for being Asian?

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Topic 13

Shortening the Military Service in South Korea

The South Korean government recently announced a plan to cut short the mandatory twoyear military service period by six months gradually from 2008 to 2014. After hearing the announcement, the first thing people might have thought is that a presidential election is around the corner. Because of peoples interest in the issue, it is not too much to say that it has become a regular campaign promise from the ruling camp at election times. This time, the government included the issue in a comprehensive measure to maximize the use of manpower as the population ages and the birth rate remains low. The focus of the measure that also includes a change in the school system is to realize the so-called two plus five strategy aimed at enabling people to start working two years earlier and remain at their jobs five years longer. In view of the urgency to prepare for the rapidly aging society, the measure to maximize the efficiency of manpower including the reduction of military service is necessary. But what mattered is that such crucial issues have come to be decided without the consultations needed to form a national consensus. Moreover, many obstacles will have to be overcome before the comprehensive measure could be put into effect. Thats why it prompted the opposition reaction that it is nothing but a move to attract support from young people in the coming election. No matter how important it may be, the shortening of the service period should be considered within the framework of not compromising our security posture. The plan, if carried out, would have the effect of reducing 10 percent of the countrys military force. The government plans to make up for loss of military manpower by the introduction of state-of-the-art weaponry along with some 40,000 salaried volunteer soldiers.

Questions and Discussion:

1. What is the plan of the Korean government for the coming 2008-2014? 2. (If youre a male) Can you share some of your experiences with the Military Service Training? (If youre a female) What do you think about the Korean Military Service Training? 3. Given a choice, would you rather have shorter military service training or totally abolish the training? Elaborate on your answer. 4. Do you think that the current plan of reducing the length of the military service training is a political move to persuade the younger population to re-elect the politicians who have passed the bill? 5. Do you think the current military service training in Korea contributes to its national defense? In what aspect do you think the military service training has contributed to the Korean government? 6. What makes the Korean military service training unique among other military service trainings found in the other parts of the world?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 14

The Kimchi: Beyond an Exotic Dish

Kimchi is naturally cultured raw vegetable that originated in ancient Korea. Kimchi has been served daily in every household at every meal throughout generations of the nation for thousands of years. Kimchi sparkles with the flavors of garlic, ginger, scallions and chilies. Kimchi adds zest to all foods. Kimchi is an excellent contributor to the human body. Unlike other similar foods, Kimchi has its own unique nutritional value of promoting health and preventing disease; there is "none better" and it is "well worth" for the human diet. It adds spice, flavor, and an appetite to meals and joy to living. Cheerful and bright, the flavor-packed Kimchi is a friendly favorite that enlivens a meal and lifts the spirits. The power of Kimchi is the power of peaceful, prosperous people who smile while working, instead of laughing at work. Because theirs is an ancient wisdom, Koreans have had an immense opportunity to note what is sound and what is likely to be of enduring value. In addition, since their is the food that has historically brought mankind a chuckle as well as refreshment, they are perhaps a little closer to the well springs of honesty and good cheer. They know that the ability to smile at oneself is a compliment to one's accomplishments, the reward of reasonable men, and the sign the humanity is in a happy condition.

Questions and Discussion:

1. Can you describe Kimchi? 2. Do you personally like eating Kimchi? 3. What can you say on the statement The power of Kimchi is the power of peaceful, prosperous people who smile while working, instead of laughing at work as stated in the text? 4. Do you agree with the statement Koreans have had an immense opportunity to note what is sound and what is likely to be of enduring value? What can you say about this statement? 5. Do you have an idea on how Kimchi was prepared during ancient times? How about the modern way of preparing Kimchi? 6. Kimchi has been the ambassador of Korea in various places during meals. In two words how can you describe this internationally acclaimed food?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 15

Gr8!

The use of abbreviations and forms used in emails and text messages is often criticized as something that students should not be encouraged to use, or even be recognized as admissible language use. There was an extreme example in the UK where a student handed in a composition that was entirely written in text message form. It reached the newspapers because the student felt she should be allowed to submit in this manner. A text of any length in this form would actually be harder to read than if written in natural English. However, students learning English often find them easy to use and pick them up quickly. Using '8' to represent the sound is regular and avoids the spelling difficulties that plague English. Students will also see them used a lot, so it might seem strange to insist on describing them as errors or inappropriate when native speakers use them, the same way that older teaching methods like the Direct Method insisted on students using complete sentences to answer questions, even though native speakers often don't. While formal language is almost certainly not going to accept 'l8r' in this lifetime, allowing students to use them might make them more confident about writing and they could be a form of an inter-language with the standard forms being taught on top and alongside them.

Questions and Discussion:

1. Can you give samples of text abbreviations that you often use? 2. Have you experienced being corrected by another person because you were using abbreviated and represented text? State and describe the situation that you are in. What are abbreviated and represented texts that you normally use? 3. Based on the text, what are your personal views or comments pertinent to the topic? 4. Will you consider this [abbreviated and represented texts] to be part of the informal English language curriculum? Will you consider its continued use in emails and text messages? 5. What is the best possible title that you can give to this text?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 16

The Korean Air Pollution Problems

During the first two decades of Korea's economic boom, there was little attention paid to the damaging effects of rapid industrialization on the environment. It was not until the 1980's that Korea began paying close attention to the environment, but the problems have risen so quickly that the Korean government has not been able to manage all of them. One of the rising problems, in connection with rapid industrialization, is acid rain. Studies indicate that a large part of Asia is being threatened by acid rain. Factory smoke and automobile exhaust fumes contribute to the sulfur-oxides (SO2) contained in the precipitation of rain. Although China is the largest producer of sulfur dioxide emissions in Asia, accounting for 20 million tons of SO2 emissions in 1987, South Korea is also a major producer of SO2. South Korea is not the only area which is causing air quality problems. The Japanese government and electric industry is trying to scientifically prove that China is responsible for Northeast Asia's acid precipitation and encourage the country to install sulfur oxidetrapping equipment in its coal-burning stations and industrial plants. Joint initiatives between South Korea and Japan toward improving air pollution are in progress. However, East Asia's acid rain problems are known to be worsening at a serious pace, but lack of coordination among the countries in the region has made it difficult to pinpoint its causes, with no country acknowledging responsibility.

Questions and Discussion:

1. How can you explain air pollution using what you have understood from the text? 2. What are your comments with regard to the air pollution contributions of South Korea? 3. Do you agree with the current move of the Japanese government in proving that China has been the major contributor of air pollution in Northeast Asia? 4. Based on the current technological advancements in South Korea, do you think air pollution is still a major problem in the country? 5. How do you think major institutions (government or non-governmental) can contribute in the reduction of air pollution in South Korea? 6. State ways wherein you can contribute with the reduction of air pollution in your country.

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 17

The NAFTA: An FAQ

NAFTA also known as the North American Free Trade Agreement called for immediately eliminating duties on the majority of tariffs between products traded among the United States, Canada and Mexico, and gradually phasing out other tariffs, over a period of about 14 years. Restrictions were to be removed from many categories, including motor vehicles and automotive parts, computers, textiles, and agriculture. The treaty also protected intellectual property rights (patents, copyrights, and trademarks), and outlined the removal of investment restrictions among the three countries. The agreement is trilateral in nature (that is, the stipulations apply equally to all three countries) in all areas except agriculture, in which stipulation, tariff reduction phase-out periods and protection of selected industries, were negotiated bilaterally. Provisions regarding worker and environmental protection were added later as a result of supplemental agreements signed in 1993. This agreement was an expansion of the earlier Canada - U.S. Free Trade Agreement of 1988. Unlike the European Union, NAFTA does not create a set of supranational governmental bodies, nor does it create a body of law superior to national law. NAFTA is a treaty under international law. Under United States law it is classed as a congressionalexecutive agreement rather than a treaty, reflecting a peculiar sense of the term "treaty" in United States constitutional law that is not followed by international law or the laws of other nations.

Questions and Discussion:

1. What is the NAFTA? 2. Aside from the removal of tariffs on various products imported and exported between treaty member countries, what other stipulations are included in the treaty? 3. Do you think the member-countries on this free trade agreement will truly benefit with this treaty? Elaborate on your answer. 4. The US and South Korea currently plan to enforce a free trade agreement, do you agree with this agenda? Explain your answer. 5. Given that the US-South Korea FTA will soon materialize, do you think South Korea will benefit with this newly signed treaty? Why or why not?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 18

The Ethics of Human Cloning

A "human clone" is a time-delayed identical twin of another person. A clone is not an exact replica of the original, but just a much younger identical twin. As with identical twins, the clone and the original being will have different set of fingerprints. Dolly's (the cloned sheep) birth in 1997 shocked an unsuspecting world; Governments have been busy trying to prevent the advent of human cloning. There is also the fear that someone would create armies of soldiers or even produce large amounts of workers. This would create lower class for clones & compromising individualities. A black market of fetuses could arise from desirable donors that will want to be able to clone themselves, i.e., athletes, film stars, scientists and others. Technology is not fully developed. It has a low fertility rate. In cloning Dolly, 277 eggs were used, 30 started to divide, nine induced pregnancy, and only one survived to term (Nash). Clones may be treated as second-class citizens. Human cloning would bring grave risks of abuses to human dignity and exploitation by unscrupulous people. Unknown psychosocial harms will have impacts on the family and society. Many see this as a violation of the uniqueness of a human life, which God has given to each of us and to no one else. Either way, the future still holds the key and acceptance is but a factor that will contribute the so called advent of human cloning.

Questions and Discussion:

1. What is a clone? What is your point of view on the idea of human cloning? 2. Do you think the statement A black market of fetuses could arise from desirable donors that will want to be able to clone themselves, i.e., athletes, film stars, scientists and others will become a reality in the near future? 3. What do you think of the statement Many see this as a violation of the uniqueness of a human life, which God has given to each of us and to no one else? What is the point of view of your religion, if any, on human cloning? 4. Given the choice of being cloned or not being cloned which would you prefer and why?

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 19

Wellness: Whats that again?

Alternative approaches to wellness are often denoted by the use of two difference phrases: health and wellness, and wellness programs. These kinds of wellness programs offer complementary and alternative medicine techniques to improve wellness. Whether these techniques actually improve physical health is controversial and a subject of much debate. James Randi and the James Randi Educational Foundation are outspoken critics of this alternative new age concept of wellness. The behaviors in the pursuit of wellness often include many health related practices, such as natural therapies. Wellness, as a luxury pursuit, is found obviously in the more affluent societies because it involves managing the body state after the basic needs of food, shelter and basic medical care have already been met. Many of the practices applied in the pursuit of wellness, in fact, are aimed at controlling the side effects of affluence, such as obesity and inactivity. Wellness grew as a popular concept starting in the 19th century, just as the middle class began emerging in the industrialized world, and a time when a newly prosperous public had the time and the resources to pursue wellness and other forms of self-improvement. Definitions of wellness vary depending upon who is promoting it. These wellness promoters try to facilitate a healthier population and a higher quality of life. Wellness can be defined as the pursuit of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. Wellness, as an alternative concept, is generally thought to mean more than the mere absence of disease; rather it is an optimal state of health. Wellness is pursued by people interested in recovering from ill health or specific health conditions or by those interested in optimizing their already good state of health. Supporters of these programs believe that many factors contribute to wellness: living in a clean environment, eating organic food, regularly engaging in physical exercise, balance in career; family; and relationships, and developing religious faith. But, there are two basic widely different approaches to wellness. The original faith-based wellness programs offer a spiritual approach which is in opposition to the more recent secular wellness promoters. Some well known wellness promoters are Deepak Chopra and Andrew Weil.

Questions and Discussion:

1. Wellness has various meanings depending upon the individual or the institution that is promoting it, based on the text pick out one definition of wellness and explain why you have chosen this particular meaning. 2. Do you agree that the concept of wellness resides with the more affluent members of the society? State some practical cases wherein wellness can be of an advantage to the masses. 3. How can you personally achieve wellness? Give some examples and cite the wellness concept on each.

Free-talking for Advanced Vol. 2

Topic 20

The Harry Potter Series: Completed

The Harry Potter series was originally published as a children's book by British publisher Bloomsbury and American publisher Scholastic Press. However, it rapidly became a phenomenal success amongst children and adults alike. The books each chronicle one year at school for the characters concerned and follows a long tradition of children's series about life in schools. Perhaps unlike some of the traditional series of this format, each book has matured and expanded in complexity and scope compared to the last, approximately developing with the age of the principal characters (later books are also significantly darker in tone than earlier ones). Although the author has said that she comprehensively plotted the entire series of books before the first was published, and that this plot remains unchanged, she has also stated that it has undergone a number of revisions as it has progressed. The books started as relatively slim volumes (223 pages for the Philosopher's Stone UK ed.), but have grown as the series progressed (766 pages for the Order of the Phoenix UK ed.). The books contain a significant element of fantasy and magic, but this is combined with a detective-novel approach to the story. Each volume contains a complete problem and task for the heroes to complete, but each has also added to the background information about the wizarding world in general and contains many pieces of information whose importance only becomes apparent in later volumes (foreshadowing of characters). Thus, a considerable fan following has developed of people wanting to discover how the many loose ends and unfinished adventures in the book will finally be completed. The author has stated that, more than with any other book in the series, the final volume completes the unfinished story from book six. She has also stated that she doesn't have plans for any further novels concerning Harry Potter.

Questions and Discussion:

1. The Harry Potter series has been a phenomenal hit worldwide and a lot of critics are raving with reviews on the books, with the scheduled release of the seventh installment of the series what are your overall impressions among the six previously released volumes? 2. Having a unique approach, the Harry Potter books appealed to both the children and adults alike. With the inclusion of issues such as self-sacrifice and death the series has successfully crossed the boundary between adults and childrens books. In your point of view what do you think are the Harry Potter series? Is it a childrens book or an adults book? Explain your answer. 3. Given that you have the same fate as Harry Potter and was given a chance to study in a wizarding school what would be the magical skill that you would like to have and why? 4. Do you think after the release of the seventh installment of the Harry Potter series JK Rowling would yet create another book of the same type?