TOPIC 2

- intro: Who here have worked for a company before? We must get a job at some point in
our lives. But what kind of job should we go for? It is argued that we should prioritize
high paying jobs, while others want to go for jobs with healthy workplaces. So now, I
will discuss both sides, and after that, give out my own opinion on the subject.
- point 1: Firstly, I want to talk about the benefits of going for high paying jobs
o make ends meet (need to pay necessities and utilities)
o no money problems, therefore less stressful
- So, these are the reasons why some would want to apply for high salary jobs
- point 2: Nevertheless, there are also perks to a good work environment
o A workplace that encourages a healthy work environment may help employees
have a growth mindset. Companies with a positive environment may encourage
employees to grow their skills to help them achieve career advancement.
o A company's work environment greatly affects employee morale. If a company
has a positive environment, employees may have boosted morale. This can lead to
higher satisfaction and a driven mindset.
- And those are the points in favor of having an enjoyable work atmosphere.
- my point: With that in mind, I believe that having a great workplace is more important
than just a big paycheck.
o A stressful or poor work environment is a hinderence to your abilities, in addition
to damaging your mental health.
o For example, Microsoft has a good work-life balance. There are no strict timings,
and you can come to office and leave whenever you want. Within the office,
there's a gym and playgrounds for almost all sports. There's a visitor centre with
XBox and foosball, pool tables on almost every floor.
- That’s my own view on this topic.
- conclusion: And now, let’s summarize. In this speech, I’ve talked about 1, 2 and finally
3.
- So next time you’re at a job interview, before you ask about payment, you should
consider asking about the working environment instead.
 TOPIC 3

- intro: In the UK, a survey of the class of 2017 from the University of London showed
that 88% of graduates who responded were engaged in work or further study six months
after graduation. 82% had gained permanent jobs. This makes it seems that having a
degree almost guarantees that you’ll be employed after graduation. However, some argue
that developing experience and soft skills is more important, as it makes it even easier to
get a job. Today, I want to add my own ideas to this debate and to give out my view of
the matter.
- point 1: To start things off, nowadays, most people believe that to best secure a job, you
need to have a degree, which is not unfounded.
o A good university will give you the knowledge you need for your selected field of
work.
o In some places like South Korea, they only mostly consider candidates with
degrees from highly prestigious universities and ignore the rest.
- And that’s the case for getting university degrees,
- point 2: but how about developing experience and soft skills?
o Abilities like teamwork, public speaking, quick decision making, etc. are very
desirable to employers, especially since people with degrees are now a dime a
dozen.
o A lot of jobs need people with some experience, either in general or in certain
aspects like management or programing.
- Those are the reasons why people believe experience and common skills are essential for
job hunting.
- my point: For me, I personally think that both are equally important.
o You can get experience and learn core skills at universities. In fact, some
universities have certain courses which you can attend that gives you just that.
o It is best that you can fulfill multiple job criteria, as it gives you a higher chance
of getting accepted.
- That is my opinion on this subject.
- conclusion: To summarize, in this speech, I’ve talked about 1, 2 and 3.
- So now, if you’re on the fence trying to choose between the two, might I suggest to pick
both if possible, as you never know whether you will need it or not.
 TOPIC 4

- intro: Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a leader? If you’ve been in such a
position before, you know that it’s not as easy as it looks. However, there are certain
people who take the part like a duck to water. They are very good at leadership and work
well with others. Some might say that this is because they are naturally gifted at leading
people, but others would say that these abilities are learnt instead. Now, I’m going to
discuss both of these views and then give out my stance on the matter.
- point 1: To start, there is some evidence to suggest that leadership is a natural talent.
o some personality traits are more suited to leading than others, like being attentive,
outgoing, confident, …
o an example of this is the popular kid at school. they usually give out this aura that
creates a sense reassurance and dependability, which makes people feel like they
should trust this person.
- So leadership skills are innate qualities from birth, right?
- point 2: Not so much, as I will demonstrate here.
o leadership is dependant on a lot of things, some of which can be learned through
time and practice, like experience or knowledge.
o people don’t just automatically trust someone, so you need to build up a
reputation, which is almost impossible to have without working for it.
- And now these are some of the most common arguments that people have about this
topic.
- my point: As for me, I lean towards the idea that leadership is learnt, not given at birth.
o personalities can change overtime, which means that those who were once
considered to be unable to lead can develop into great bosses and vice versa.
o a lot of the leader’s responsiblities can be mastered, like planning, delegating
tasks, deadline managing, …
- And that is my belief on this subject.
- conclusion: To recap, in this talk, I’ve talked about 1, 2, and 3
- So if you want to, you don’t have to worry about not having this X factor for leadership,
because with practice, you be just as good, if not better, than those who’re called “gifted”
leaders
 TOPIC 5
- intro: A part-time job is a form of employment that carries fewer hours per week than a
full-time job. This means that they’re perfect for people who want jobs but have busy
schedules, like students. For this reason, some want students to apply for part-time jobs in
order to have an advantage later in life. But others would say that doing so is
counterproductive, as it hinders the students’ ability to learn. So now, I will talk about the
pros and cons of having students work part-time, then I’ll give out my own stance on the
topic.
- point 1: First off, there are many perks for students who don’t work part-time.
o More free time to do things (studying, socializing, …)
o Less stressful (many part-time jobs are tense)
- Now these are common points against students working part-time.
- point 2: But there are still advantages for the opposite.
o Learn how to spend and manage money
o Get work experience for jobs that require them
- These are the reasons why people support students working in part-time jobs.
- my point: In my opinion, while there are benefits for students not to be involved in part-
time jobs, I believe working part-time is better overall
o Teaches kids time management and how to be more responsible
o They can have enough money to sustain themselves after they finish their
education.
- conclusion: And this is the end of my talk. In summary, I’ve talked about 1, 2 and 3
- So, if you want your children to get a head start before they graduate, might I suggest
them to work in a part-time job.
 TOPIC 6
- intro: Education is one of the most important aspects of society, and it’s always in
constant change. This is because society itself changes over time. Now, in the 21st
century, people are saying that we should focus on helping students to be more flexible to
changes. In my opinion, this is the step in the right direction, and in this speech, I will tell
you why I think so, and to give out what I think are skills and qualities that students
should be taught in the near future.
- why: To start off, I’ll explain why I think this is a good idea.
o Things are constantly changing, especially technology
o A lot of occupations either went extinct like town criers, or changed so much that
it’s unrecognizable, like film makers
- Now that I’ve made my case, I would like to suggest certain skills that we should focus
on teaching
- skill 1: One of the skills I’d like to see getting more attention is tech literacy.
o Most jobs are partially or completely digitalized
o The best jobs are usually ones related to coding and programming
- skill 2: Another skill I want to become more widespread is self-studying skill.
o When something new comes along, they can learn more about it
o It also helps children know how to master skills that they need when something
arises.
- And so, those are my personal thoughts on this matter.
- conclusion: To sum it up, I’ve discussed why …, and that, in my view, … and … are two
important skills that a future student should know.
- I want to end this speech with a quote from a famous Japanese scholar Kakuzo Okakura:
“The art of life lies in a constant readjustment to our surroundings.”
 TOPIC 7

- intro: Have you ever heard of self-leadership? This is a term that has been going around
a lot lately. Many said that this is an important skill in this day and age. But what is it
exactly? This is what this talk will be about. I will first explain this phrase, then I’ll give
out my view on whether it being an important ability that we need is true or not.
- definition: So, first things first, what is self-leadership?
o The term describes the practice of understanding who you are, identifying your
desired experiences, and intentionally guiding yourself toward them. It spans the
determination of what we do, why we do it, and how we do it
o In laymen terms, it means that with it, you can identify and apply your strengths
to improve yourself, while also covering your own weaknesses.
- With this in mind, I completely agree that having this skill is crucial to know in today’s
world.
- reasons: To prove this, I will give out some of my reasonings behind this claim.
o Knowing how to better yourself is a huge boon, and it can help you overcome
many hardships (having deadlines? motivate yourself with things you love)
o It also gives you a sense of independence. You are now the one who’s taking
initiative in controlling your life.
o To lead others, you must know how to lead yourself. If you know how to utilize
your abilities, you can apply that to your teammates.
- These are the reasons why I think self-leadership is an important life skill.
- conclusion: And so, this is the end of my speech. Today, I’ve told you what self-
leadership means and the reasons why I believe that self-leadership is a skill we need to
learn.
- I will end this by quoting a famous line from Lao Tsu: “Mastering others is strength;
mastering oneself is true power”.
 TOPIC 8

- intro: Getting a job is one of the hardest, yet most important things in life. And for most
people, they need to get an education, more specifically higher education from places like
universities. There, many people say that they should teach students so that they can meet
the immediate demands of the job market. Others would disagree, saying that it should be
left for the employers, as university educations are for the long term. So now, I will talk
about both sides of the argument, then give out my opinion on it.
- point 1: To begin, learning to meet the immediate demand of the job market has its
perks.
o It will be easier to find a job, as your knowledge will be more specialized for an
occupation that is in high demand
o Students will be more confident and feel less stressed when they graduate
- These are the reasons why one might want to learn specifically for the current work in
demand.
- point 2: Nonetheless, knowing a wider range of subjects is also beneficial.
o You’ll be a jack of all trades, so you can work for anyone you want
o Employers might want a worker with a greater range of expertise.
- Now these are the common arguments supporting students learning wider ranges of
topics.
- my point: As for me, I think that even though there are good reasons why you’d want to
study for the immediate job market, universities should be teaching students for the long
term.
o The job market is never stable, and with how much is changing, it is possible that
when you graduate, the demand has already changed
o When you get hired, employers tend to give you re-education, so you’ll have the
necessary skill sets to do your job.
- And that’s my view on the topic.
- conclusion: Now I will conclude this speech. To summarize, today, I’ve talked about 1, 2
and 3
- So, when you go for higher education, don’t double down on a single aspect of your
studies so meet the market demand, but instead, try to broaden your knowledge. It’ll be
hard, but much more useful in the long run.
 TOPIC: E-BOOKS

- intro: Ever since Johnannes Gutenburg invented the printing press in the 1400s, books
have been a stable in human society. But with the growing popularity of E-books, some
fear that the survivability of traditional books is in jeopardy. So today, I’m going to
divide this speech into three main parts. Firstly, I’ll talk about why books will remain
relevant, then the reason for E-books’ growth in popularity, and lastly my belief that one
day, books will be overshadowed by E-books.
- point 1: To begin, let’s talk about the pros of paper books
o The feeling is great
o Better for eyesight (no eye strain from screens)
- These are the main reasons why traditional books are still popular
- point 2: But there are benefits to using E-books
o More portable
o Can read multiple books
- So, it’s no wonder E-books are all the rage
- my point: To me, it’s because of these and the following reasons that I believe that E-
books will soon replace regular books.
o No trees are harmed
o Cost less
- That’s why, in my opinion, E-books will one day take center stage and leave paper books
in obscurity
- conclusion: This is the end of my speech. To conclude, today I’ve talked about the
reasons behind paper books’s popularity, why E-books are becoming more sought-after,
and that, from my point of view, E-books will inevitably make traditional books outdated.
 TOPIC: AI

- intro: Who here has seen a science fiction film before? If you have seen one, then you
know what to expect from the genre: aliens, spaceships, and of course, Artificial
Intelligence or A.I. They are hyper-intelligent computers that are as smart if not smarter
than humans. Real life AIs are not at that level yet, but people are conflicted about
whether we shoud develop it further, as we still don’t know if it’s a good thing or not. In
this speech, I will talk about three main ideas: the benefits of Ais, its downsides and why,
in my opinion, its upsides outweigh the potential problems.
- point 1: To start off, it’s clear to see why some are unwilling to support AI’s growth.
o Very expensive (can get up to thousands of dollars, and its use is still limited)
o It’s hard to contain (can become too smart to be controled)
- So those are the points against AIs.
- point 2: But like everything, there are still things to be gained from this.
o Help speed up scientific endeavors (as smart as humans, but don’t need to rest)
o Assist humans (Siri, Alexa, …)
- As you can see, there are some upsides from AI development
- my point: For me, I believe the potential good AIs can do for us is greater than the
problems it may have.
o Think long run (global warming prevention is also a long-term investment)
o Not as hard to control as fiction depicts (with enough fail safes, rogue AIs can be
stopped)
- And that’s why I support investing in AIs.
- conclusion: This is the end of my talk. To summarize, I’ve discussed about … I will end
this with a quote from Ginni Rometty, executive chairwoman of IBM: “Some people call
this artificial intelligence, but the reality is this technology will enhance us. So instead of
artificial intelligence, I think we’ll augment our intelligence.”
 TOPIC: MACHINES AND ROBOTS

- intro: Car manufacturing, agricultural irrigation, toy making. What do all these things
have in common? They are easy and repetitive work that have been replaced by robots
and machines. In fact, there are numerous jobs that have removed the human element in
favor of automation. There are heated discussions about this, wondering whether this is a
good thing or not, but in my opinion, the advantages of automation certainly outweigh the
disadvantages. So today, I’ll talk about two main ideas. First, I will give out the
downsides of this situation, then I shall give out points to support my views.
- point 1: To start off, I will admit that not everything is great with this new phenomenon.
o Thousands will be unemployed
o Some jobs need human flexibility and creativity
- These are compelling arguments.
- point 2: Despite this, I believe that the good aspects of this overshadows the bad.
o No longer have to work hard and/or boring jobs
o Prevent dangerous work accidents
o Technological utopia, where machines do all unwanted labor jobs, thereby
making employment irrelevant.
- That’s why I think automation will be extremely helpful to humanity.
- conclusion: And this is the end of my speech. In short, I’ve discussed … So while there
might be some problems with replacing people with machines and robots, things will turn
out OK. After all, most inovations have faced issues and opposition before being widely
accepted.
 TOPIC: TRANSLATING LANGUAGES

- intro: According to survey, about 43% of the world population is bilingual, meaning they
can speak two different languages, and about 17% of the population can speak more than
two. Nevertheless, with the development of translation software, people believe that
learning foreign languages is becoming redundant. I, however, don’t think that’s the case,
and that, while translators are useful in certain circumstances, there’re still some benefits
in mastering a second tongue. I will divide the upcoming speech into two main points:
why translators can be more convenient and why sometimes translation software is
unreliable.
- point 1: First and foremost, there are things that digital translators can do you that a
regular person simply can’t
o Can be used instantly without learning
o Can translate multiple languages
- point 2: But that doesn’t mean that you don’t need to learn a second language.
o There’s a lot of nuances in languages (accents, slangs, context, …), and machines
are too rigid to pick out the subtle hints
o The device you’re using may be having technical issues (glitch, faulty
microphone, out of batteries), and you might not be able to carry it all the time.
- So you can see that in some cases, translation softwares are not applicable.
- conclusion: This concludes my speech. To recap, I’ve talked about … And now, I would
like to end this with a quote from Ludwig Wittgenstein, an Austrian-British philosopher:
"The limits of my language mean the limits of my world."
 TOPIC: EMAILS AND LETTERS

- intro: Imagine with me this: you have a friend who’s overseas and you must talk to them.
How would you do it? If you were born before 1971, you would be writing a letter to
them, as emails weren’t invented then. Nowadays, you hardly see a handwritten letter
anymore, as emails have proven itself to be faster and more reliable. Because of this,
they’re saying that written letters are no longer needed. In my point of view, while this
may become true, it wouldn’t be for a long time. Now, I will divide this talk in two parts:
why I agree with the previous statement, and why I think that the statement is also not
completely right.
- point 1: To begin, I can see why some might think that emails will overtake regular mail.
o Emails are too convenient and easy to use compared to letters
o There has been a decline in postal service usage. In the U.S, its postal service has
diminished since after 2006, and in 2021, mail volume has dropped to just 128.9
billion units compared to 213 billion units in 2006.
- It is obvious that letters cannot compete against the modern email.
- point 2: Despite all this, I think handwritten letter might stay for a good while.
o Sentimental value (the sender took time and effort to send it)
o More easily customizable (drawing, patterns, decorations, …)
- Due to this, I think regular mail might stay for a little while longer.
- conclusion: And this concludes my speech on the topic. To summarize, I’ve talked about
… So while letters might go the way of the dinosaur, I think that they might linger around
for those who enjoy the feeling of receiving a nicely-written letter, like those who enjoy a
relaxing ride in a horse cartridge.