Some people think it is important to be honest, while others say that there is hardly a person in the world who has never told a lie.

 

Lying is quite natural and people often do it in case of emergency, intentionally or even without any reason. Is it all right to tell a lie or must we be honest all the time?
I believe that a person who always lies, cheats and deceives other people will never have any real friends. At the same time it is very difficult to communicate with people who are very direct and say exactly what they think. Sometimes telling the truth may hurt other people's feelings. For example, your friend has had her hair done and asks what you think of her hair-do. To your mind, she looks terrible. But I think that in such a situation it would be better to tell a white lie because it does not harm anyone. One may also tell a lie with the intention to help another person or even to save somebody's life.
But unfortunately, most people lie to save their face, to derive some benefit or to avoid a punishment. Sometimes their dishonesty can be criminal. For instance, some people tell a lie after promising to tell the truth in a court of law. But lying often makes things worse, especially after it has been discovered. Discovery of a lie may spoil one's reputation or lead to social or legal sanctions. Besides, you can't lie all the time.
To conclude, if you want to be trusted and respected, you should be open and sincere. But in some cases truth may be blunt and rude, so it is better to tell a white lie in order to remain tactful and polite.

 

Some people have a lot of wishes and plans, but they think they will never come true. Others say that you must believe in yourself and success will come to you.

Does success come to a person or does a person go to success? A lot of people believe that if you want to succeed, you must work hard. But sometimes it is not enough to be industrious and persistent.
Personally, I believe that self-confidence and the ability to convince people are necessary for every successful person. Even if you try to persuade people that your dog is cleverer than any human, you must be so sure about it that you can make everybody believe in what you are talking about. Belief in yourself is very important. If you stammer and look confused, if you doubt your own knowledge, skills and abilities, you will hardly succeed.
Many people want to make a career, to win fame, to invent something that will change our lives and to make the world a little better. But they think these are only dreams and they don't believe that they are meant to be great. In other words, they don't believe in their own success. Such people think that famous scientists, sportsmen, politicians and celebrities have achieved success because they are super-talented. But to my mind, they are not super humans. The most common thing about all well-known people is that they all have incredible belief in themselves. In my opinion, everybody has the potential to become whatever they want, but people have to do a lot to achieve their goal.
To conclude, you are the one responsible for whether or not you will succeed. You should develop your inner confidence because nobody can give it to you. And when you have developed it, nobody can take it away.

 

Some people think that time management skills are not important for success in both their work and home life. Others are convinced that it is essential to make good use of their time.

According to some estimates, people waste about 2 hours per day. Others waste even more time and feel disappointed and dissatisfied. They find it difficult to keep appointments, meet deadlines or show up on time for personal engagements. Such people do not know how they can make their time more productive.
To my mind, time management skills are essential for personal and career success. If you don't use your time wisely, you can never get it back. When you are late for an appointment, it can reflect badly on your reputation. What is more, poor management of your time can result in lost promotions, failed job interviews, constant fatigue and stress. Many people failed to make a career because they did not find the time to do it.
However, some people still think that learning time management techniques is difficult and unnecessary. So they continue wasting time on unimportant activities such as gossiping, watching TV, playing computer games, writing messages to their friends, taking coffee breaks and so on. As a rule it adds nothing to their lives and prevents them from doing things that are really important to them. I strongly feel that such activities are just a waste of time and energy.
To sum up, time management skills help you use the time that you have in better ways. They can also help you reduce wasted time and energy and become more creative and productive. Consequently, you will have more balance and fulfillment in your life. Remember that "time is money".

 

A sense of humour is usually considered to be one of the most important human features. However, some people say that humour is not always good.

The ability to understand and enjoy funny things is called a sense of humour. A person's understanding of humorous things and situations depends on his or her age, gender, nationality, education, intelligence, culture and mood. Many people wonder if we can we live without humour.
I think we can't. When you are in a tight corner, when you feel tired or irritated, when the atmosphere becomes tense and it is necessary to break the ice, the best way out is to joke. Jokes will help you settle a conflict, reduce tension between people and change something horrible into something funny. It is always interesting to communicate with a person who has a sense of humour. He or she can tell you an amusing story, an anecdote or a joke. What is more, there is an old saying that laughter is the best medicine. Scientists have found out that it can reduce the risk of heart disease and it makes the body release pleasure chemicals. So people who often laugh are healthier, happier and live longer.
However, humour is not always appropriate. A joke may provoke a quarrel and hurt other people's feelings. Sometimes jokes can point at a problem better than any serious statement. In some situations humour may be completely misunderstood. Some jokes are silly, rude and even offensive. What is more, a bad joke may even turn best friends into sworn enemies
To sum up, a sense of humour is important for everybody. People who lack it are often dull and grumbling. To my mind, humour makes our lives more interesting and helps us cope with many difficulties and problems,

 

Some people believe in luck, while others say that it doesn't exist.

We often wish each other "Good Luck!" Some of us believe that there is the power which is supposed to be the cause of all events. At the same time many people say that it is silly to believe in luck.
Personally, I think that certain objects or rituals can bring me luck. I often wear a "lucky" sweater to attract fortune, use a special pen during tests or cross my fingers. It helps me to be more optimistic and to have better moods. I also believe that some people are luckier than others.
But a lot of people are rather skeptical. They say that it is silly to wait for something good to happen. According to them, it is better to work hard and to listen to your intuition if you want to be happy and successful. Besides, you should be optimistic and have a relaxed attitude to life. If you don't think about bad things, everything will be all right. In my opinion, it is good to rely only on our own powers, but it is very exciting to believe in some supernatural power that may change your life for the better.
To conclude, it is up to you to decide whether to believe in luck or not. Anyway, you should "put your trust in God and keep your powder dry".

 

Some people say they don't care about philosophy. Others are convinced that it helps us to live.

Philosophy is the love of wisdom. It deals with general and fundamental problems. A lot of famous writers, poets and scientists were philosophers too. However, nowadays some people say they don't understand why we need philosophy. So is philosophy really important and could we live without it?
I strongly feel that philosophy is an essential part of people's lives. Most of us have a philosophy on life. Everybody has an idea of what is right and what is wrong. A lot of people believe somebody else's philosophy. We often share the ideas of some religious or political leaders. Some people are true philosophers: they want to know what we live for; they spend much time thinking and asking questions.
But philosophy can also cause misunderstanding and conflict between people. Some of us choose one philosophy to believe, while others choose a different philosophy. As a result, people begin arguing and try to make others change their mind. It prevents them from working together and slows down progress. But I believe that the existence of different philosophical schools proves that people have always tried to gain a better understanding of nature and the essence of life.
To sum up, philosophy helps us understand ourselves and other people better. In my opinion, it encourages people to think, to understand different subjects more deeply and helps them make right decisions.

 

Some people say that one should analyze the situation before making a decision. Others believe that it is better to rely on one's intuition.

Intuition has been the subject of study in psychology, as well as a topic of interest in the supernatural. Many people wonder whether it is worth relying on their intuition.
I strongly feel that the guiding role of intuition should not be ignored or underestimated. It helps us pattern our behaviour and make right decisions in uncertain situations and unknown areas. People of different nationalities, professions and ages use intuitive judgment. Minor or major decisions are often made based on instinct and feeling, even when the reason for the feeling is unclear. We sometimes have an impulse that we should or shouldn't do something. And these sudden decisions that are difficult to explain turn out to be the best ones. Besides, in some situations intuition can save people's lives.
However, not everybody recognizes and trusts his intuitive information. Some people don't believe that it is worth relying on intuition. They think that it is eccentric and irrational. Of course, there are many situations where analysis and rationality are superior to intuition. For instance, intuition may not be helpful in determining another's personality. The situation may not give the observer an opportunity to see the traits that would indicate the personality. But to my mind, there are many situations when our intuition can help us find the right answer to the most complicated question.
To conclude, I think that people should listen to their inner voice which is sometimes an excellent guide. We should also develop our intuition and try to understand how it operates and analyze the situations when it helped us.

 

Some people say that ambitiousness is a wonderful quality, while others believe that it is not so good to be ambitious.

Ambitious people have a strong desire to gain a particular objective. They want to succeed or to gain fame, power and wealth. In the history of humankind there are many examples of people who were extremely ambitious, for better and for worse.
Personally, I think that society cannot survive without ambitious people. Ambition implies work and discipline to achieve goals. Ambitious people always know what they want and work hard in order to succeed. For instance, such people as Bill Gates, Condoleezza Rice or Tiger Woods have become famous, rich and powerful because they are ambitious and hard-working.
On the other hand, it is considered that the ambitious person ignores the collectivity. Such people are socially detached, they are on their own. They wish to rise above other people. The ambitious man or woman sees the world as a battle. Rivalry is his or her principal emotion. Ambitious people sometimes believe that what they want for themselves is good for everyone and that the satisfaction of their own desires is the most important thing. The ambitious individual is also convinced that the rewards of ambition — wealth, success, power — are worthy of the sacrifices made on ambition's behalf. But I believe that a person should not sacrifice his or her family or health for distinction or material goods.
To conclude, it is difficult to imagine the world without ambitious people. Our lives would probably become better: without disappointments, conflict, anxiety, tension and stress. People would be healthier and they would live longer. Time would stretch on and on, with ambition long departed from the human heart. And our life would become extremely boring.

 

A lot of people would like to become famous actors, singers or musicians. Others say that publicity can be a terrible thing.

Most people dream of being famous. They admire different celebrities whose photographs are published on almost every page of many newspapers and magazines. The mass media has created "the cult of celebrity". But is it really wonderful to be well-known?
On the one hand, famous people have expensive cars and luxurious houses. They spend their time travelling, meeting interesting people and having crazy parties. They lead exciting and glamorous lives. Besides, celebrities enjoy everybody's admiration. In my opinion, it is rather pleasant to be recognized by ordinary people and to receive much attention.
On the other hand, if you are a star, you can forget about privacy. Paparazzi follow famous people around, newspapers and magazines publish unreliable information and spread rumours. The life of celebrities may be spoilt by fans that get their telephone numbers, wait for them after concerts, send messages and love-letters to them and follow them everywhere. Famous people often have to disguise themselves and spend much money on security. What is more, celebrities often get tired of their stressful lifestyle and feel depressed. That is why they begin smoking, drinking and taking drugs.
To sum up, publicity doesn't only lead to success, admiration and richness. It is also the reason for envy, stress, extreme fatigue and the impossibility to escape public attention. Many stars would like to become common people at least for one day so that not to be recognized in the
streets.

 

Most people admire glamorous celebrities and want to lead the same lives they do. However, others say that glamour is not as magical as it seems to be.

Nobody heard anything about glamour some years ago. But the situation has changed drastically lately. Today many women and girls buy fashion magazines and dream of becoming glamorous and alluring. But is glamorous life as wonderful as it seems to be?
When I hear the word "glamour" I think about a person who is beautiful and extremely fashionable and who excites everybody's admiration. To my mind, glamour is the power of attraction, fascination and enchantment. Hollywood movie stars are often seen as particularly glamorous. I admire their beauty, elegance and style. Stars wear expensive clothes and jewellery, drive luxurious cars and live in wonderful mansions. They lead glamorous lives: travel all over the world, meet famous people, dine in the best restaurants, go to expensive beauty salons and spas and have crazy parties.
However, a glamorous person produces an impression which is usually better than the reality. Most stars wear bright make-up, fashionable hairdos and clothes that make them more attractive, but many of them are not so beautiful in real life. These glittering social butterflies only pretend to be glamorous. Their beauty is artificial and some of them don't really like their image. When their fans and paparazzi don't see them, celebrities put on plain jeans and a T-shirt and you will hardly recognize them if you run into them in the street. Nevertheless, most ordinary people envy celebrities and their way of life.
To conclude, glamour is a by-product of show business. A glamorous life may be not as dazzling as we think. Some celebrities are really tired of their glamorous lives.

 

A number of people believe that pocket money teaches teenagers to be responsible. Others say that teenagers are too young to deal with money and that their parents should just buy them what they need.

 

Many parents wonder whether to give pocket money to their children and how much to give. Most Moms and Dads think that pocket money helps the child learn to handle money sensibly. However, pocket money may become a battleground if not handled correctly from the very start.
Personally, I think that by giving pocket money parents help children learn to manage money while they are young. It also helps them make choices and feel that they are important members of the family. Even a small amount can give a child the feeling of responsibility and independence. Parents can suggest the child keeping a little book in their money box to record ins and outs. This will help with their mathematics and will encourage them to save money.
But in some families children are given what they ask for and do not get pocket money. Some parents think that pocket money can cause a number of problems. For example, if children have a lot less than their friends they may feel depressed and may be tempted to steal. On the other hand, when they have much more it can cause envy and resentment amongst their friends. Besides, I believe that parents should never give pocket money to their children as compensation for not spending enough time with them and as a reward for helping around the house.
To conclude, I think it is up to parents to decide whether to give children pocket money or not. Anyway, parents should explain their sons and daughters that lots of money cannot buy love and happiness.

 

Some people think they can be happy only being rich, while others don't care too much about money.

It is rather difficult to imagine our lives without money. People consider money to be part and parcel of their everyday lives. They buy and sell different things, receive a fee, a pension or a subsidy, exchange currency and what not. People's attitude to money can be quite different: for some of them money is the most important thing in the world, while other people don't care much about money.
In my opinion, the life of rich people is not only luxurious. It is also dangerous. There are quite a lot of people who want to deceive the rich. Millionaires have to spend much money on security, but sometimes even such measures don't help. Rich people are often robbed, kidnapped and killed. Besides, they have to work much and that is why they spend very little time with their families and they often feel stressed.
But in spite of all dangers and difficulties, many people are sure that money and happiness are synonyms. They believe that money can make them powerful and independent. They dream of expensive cars and luxurious mansions. Some people think that we live in the world where almost everything can be bought and sold. They even make friends and marry for money. To my mind, money becomes a kind of addiction for such people.
To sum up, money is very useful as a medium of exchange, a unit of account and a store of value. But it becomes "the root of all evil" when it makes people take bribes, betray their partners or commit crimes. I think that "money is a good servant but a bad master."