English Exercises: Writing about pros and cons

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a married woman
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Writing about pros and cons - part 3

1.� Read the introduction and write a connection to the main part!

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�� "Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of being your own boss."��

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Have you ever considered becoming your own boss? In recent years the number of people choosing to start their own business has risen significantly. Many claim that this is because more and more people are no longer content to work for someone else. A lot of people, however, are afraid of taking the responsibility of being self-employed.

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� 2. Then give a topic sentence to introduce the main part!

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� �3.� Fill in the connectors! (Take them from below!)

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�� On the other hand � All things considered ��In addition to this � What is even worse � Finally

�� One of the main advantages of ��Secondly�

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�being self-employed is the fact that you are completely self-reliant and can make decisions on your own. This can give you a great sense of freedom and allows you to do exactly what you want without interference from anyone else.� , your working day can be planned for your convenience, allowing you to work when you want rather than when you have to. Of course, you can work together with who you want to. , if your business is successful, people will know that you alone, should be given the credit. People admire you and many of them are thankful for giving them a job and work.

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, there are disadvantages to being your own boss. Many self-employed people have said that to build a successful business, you have to be prepared to work long hours and sacrifice your personal life. As B. C. Forbes once said, "If you don't drive your business, you will be driven out of business." , a 1996 government study found that over a quarter of the businesses run by newly self-employed people failed within the first two years. In this situation you can lose all your money and , you run the risk that you must pay back your debts for the rest of your life.

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, it seems to me that self-employment can be a very gratifying experience, although not one without difficulties. But when success is achieved, the greatest reward of all is the knowledge that you have done it on your own.

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4. Read the closing paragraphs below and say whether they express

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a. a� balanced consideration or

b.� the writer�s opinion.

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1 In conclusion, getting married has, to my mind, more advantages than disadvantages. After all, what can be more fulfilling than a steady relationship with the person you love that lasts for the rest of your life?

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2 To sum up, camping holidays do have advantages, the main one being that they are far cheaper than other holidays. In my opinion, however, there is too much hard work involved for them to ever feel like a real holiday.

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3 All in�all, computers have both advantages and disadvantages. They may have replaced humans in many jobs. but they have also made our lives considerably easier and it is now difficult to imagine life without them.

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.4. On the whole, while most people go on holiday to rest, this is one thing you are unlikely to do on an adventure holiday. In my opinion, this disadvantage outweighs all the advantages associated with this kind of holiday.

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5. Taking everything into account, there are both advantages and disadvantages in keeping pets. In the end it is up to the individual to decide whether the pleasure associated with owning a pet is worth the work that goes with it.

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5. Read through the arguments and match each argument with its corresponding justification.

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Arguments

Justification

1� Using mobile phones can be dangerous in some situations.

A� If you find yourself in a dangerous situation, you can call for help no matter where you are. Therefore, especially girls feel more secure and many parents �feel better about their� children.

2� Mobile phones are very useful for people who are often on the move.

B Talking on a mobile phone while driving reduces concentration by up to 30%. So this telephoning behavior greatly increases the chances of causing an accident when driving a car.

3� Some people claim that owning a mobile phone is a waste of money.

C� They can easily be contacted no matter where they are. This is very important for businessmen. In a globalized world they often have to travel around the world and their business partners can easily speak to them and vice versa.

4� Having a mobile phone increases your personal security.

D The basic charge for the service is much higher than for a normal telephone, and the calls are extremely expensive. Today flatrates help to reduce costs, but especially young people are fond of having the latest mobile phone. Of course, these appliances can do a lot more, but are very expensive.

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6. Last but not least,�decide which of the following arguments are in favour of and which are against using� mobile phones.

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1 Using mobile phones can be dangerous in some situations.

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�� against��

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2 Mobile phones are very useful for people who are often on the move.

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��against��

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3 Some people claim that owning a mobile phone is a waste of money.

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4 Having a mobile phone increases your personal security.

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