Regents’ Test Topics Spring 2008

9 What influence should students have in the determination of college policies? Explain.

13 Name someone you consider to be a modern hero or heroine and explain why.

17 Each year, many teenagers run away from home. What do you think are the chief causes?

21 Should every able-bodied citizen be required to serve for a certain period of time in some branch of the military service? Why or why not?

23 How does your public image differ from your private self?

26 If you were an employer, under what circumstances would you fire an employee? Explain.

28 “Television has made America a nation of watchers, not doers.” Agree or disagree.

55 Do you long for the past or look eagerly toward the future? Explain.

70 Do you believe that violence in television programs leads to violence in our society? Explain.

95 Is it beneficial for a high school graduate to work full-time for a year before entering college? Why or why not?

98 If you had the power to change any event in history (outcome of an election, who won a war, etc.), which would you choose to change, and why?

99 What characteristics do you regard as important in a friend?

117 Should prostitution be legalized? Discuss.

131 In general, do movies and/or television programs provide a realistic picture of life in America? Explain.

144 Why do you believe radio has continued to be popular in the age of television? Discuss.

155 What do you think are the major causes of divorce? Explain.

161 Do you prefer shopping at a large shopping center or at downtown stores? Discuss.

163 Apart from chronological age, what are some major differences between an adolescent and an adult?

181 Why did you choose the career for which you are preparing?

185 “In spite of advances in scientific knowledge, people are still superstitious.” Agree or disagree?

187 Watching the “soaps” has become an American pastime. Why are these television shows so popular?

204 Should American students be required to learn a second language? Why or why not?

219 Do you think that you have the qualifications of a good parent? Discuss.

222 Jogging has become extremely popular. Explain why you jog or why you don’t.

233 Most people consider themselves part of a particular generation. Discuss what you consider the most important values of your generation.

235 Is an academically competitive atmosphere helpful or harmful to you as a student? Discuss.

241 In your view, what would most impress (favorably or unfavorably) a foreign student spending his or her first weekend in an American home? Discuss.

246 In what areas should all college graduates be required to have some competence? Why?

257 When we return to places we knew as children, we are often surprised at how different these places seem. Compare and/or contrast your impression of some place you knew as a child with your current impression of the same place.

277 What can be done to prevent violence in public schools? Discuss.

317 Knowledge can be gained from books and scientific observation. What are some other important sources of knowledge, and why are they valuable?

318 Whether we want them or not, many of us get tagged with one or more nicknames during our lives. Discuss the positive and/or negative aspects of the practice of nicknaming.

319 Whom would you identify as a truly wise person? What makes him or her seem wise to you?

327 Name your favorite game or sport and explain why you find it enjoyable.

333 In the development of a national budget, which should be more important – fighting poverty at home or arming to fight an aggressor? Explain.

372 Though a favorite sport of many, boxing is a dangerous sport that leaves many boxers suffering from eye and/or brain damage. Should the sport of boxing be outlawed?

377 Do you think of yourself as a “goal-oriented” person? Explain.

385 Is it the responsibility of the United States to share its food supplies with the hungry people of the world? Explain.

390 What is the difference between “good” and “bad” stress? Explain.

400 Why is college football so popular? Discuss.

406 Americans generally condemn daydreaming as a waste of time. Do you agree with this view, or do you see some benefits of daydreaming? Discuss.

414 Is noise pollution becoming a serious threat to the welfare of Americans? Discuss.

415 “Very few of us really know how to listen.” Discuss why you agree or disagree with this statement.

421 It is said that the United States has the highest crime rate of any country that keeps accurate records. What, in your opinion, are some of the reasons for the unusually high rate of crime in the U.S.? Discuss.

426 Should the advertisement of alcoholic beverages be banned from television? Discuss.

446 If you had to choose between a job that you loved that paid $25,000 a year and a job that you hated that paid $50,000 a year, which job would you take? Explain why.

465 Should polygraph (lie detector) tests be used as a condition of employment? Discuss.

504 What types of reading materials do you prefer? Discuss.

506 How do you account for the popularity of your favorite entertainer?

509 Name a person, place, or thing that is currently very popular but that, in your opinion, is overrated.

513 Given the choice, would you rather live in the mountains or near the beach? Discuss.

519 If for some reason you were prevented from getting a college education, what career would you pursue? Why?

533 If private ownership of automobiles were impossible, how would your life change?

545 What can be done to improve the treatment of the elderly?

555 Why are television talk shows so popular? Discuss.

558 Should people accept it as their duty to take care of their aging parents? Discuss.

559 Women today are waiting until they are older to marry for the first time. Why?

578 Why are people often unwilling to intervene in or report crimes that they observe? Explain.

587 Why do Americans eat so much junk food? Explain.

599 Some people have argued that zoos are inhumane, that keeping animals captive is wrong. Discuss why you agree or disagree.

600 Is there one sport that you would never play and/or would never want to play? Explain.

606 If you could donate a thousand dollars to a charity, which one would you choose? Why?

614 Should sex education programs emphasize the need for abstinence before marriage? Discuss.

628 Discuss a stereotype that you once believed but that later proved inaccurate.

630 What things would you look for when buying or renting a place to live? Discuss.

635 Describe a decision you have made that has been particularly significant to you.

637 What working conditions do you or would you look for when applying for a job? Explain.

642 Should couples in the United States be discouraged from having more than two children? Discuss.

645 Do you have the skills to run your own business? Explain.

647 Have your attitudes changed much in the last few years? Explain.

658 What really scared you when you were a child that you now consider humorous? Explain.

671 What would it take to make you give up TV? Explain.

676 In what circumstances, if any, should it be legal for people to assist their loved ones in suicide?

682 Some sociologists argue that if we look carefully at shopping malls, we will see in them many clues to our current values and attitudes. Discuss.

687 What are the advantages and disadvantages of the Georgia lottery?

692 Which person in the public eye do you admire the most? Why?

693 Many colleges do not allow alcoholic beverages to be served or consumed on campus, not even in restaurants or faculty clubs. Do you agree or disagree with this rule?

700 How does news coverage of public election campaigns influence voters? Discuss.

704 Has the time come for the United States to abandon the two-party political system? Why or why not?

705 What responsibilities do members of the media have as the primary shapers of public opinion? Explain.

708 In recent years Americans have expanded their fascination with sports to include such activities as gymnastics and soccer. What do you think are the reasons for this interest in a greater variety of sports?

714 Is there a member of your family whom you wish you were not related to? Discuss.

715 Pick one type of music that is currently very popular and explain why it is popular.

738 Argue for or against the view that people of your generation are selfish and concerned only with money and comfort.

742 The value of an American high school education has become a controversial issue. Do you see your own high school education as worthwhile? Why or why not?

745 Should Georgia’s legalized gambling system be expanded to include other types of gaming such as dog racing, horse racing, or casino betting? Why or why not?

757 What is the difference between courage and recklessness? Discuss.

762 What subjects do you (or did you) especially enjoy (or avoid) discussing with your family? Explain.

769 Is language use – how a person writes or speaks – an appropriate means of judging a person for employment purposes? Discuss.

773 Are the effects of progress always humane? Discuss.

778 Do you think the world will become more peaceful in the next 10 years? Discuss.

789 What would be the advantages of requiring police officers to have college degrees? Discuss.

790 What types of assistance should public schools be required to provide for non-English speaking students? Discuss.

791 What are positive and/or negative effects of teenagers and young adults “surfing the net”? Discuss.

793 Is it important for you to “make a difference”? If so, in response to what issues? Discuss.

797 Do celebrities have a responsibility to the public to act as good role models? Discuss.

803 Should the United States Constitution be amended to allow “single-sex” public colleges and universities? Discuss.

807 Describe the way a television show presents a particular occupation and discuss the accuracy of the portrayal.

809 What do sports reveal about American culture? Discuss.

813 Should preserving endangered species take priority over jobs, development, and property rights? Why or why not?