1. In some countries the average worker is obliged to retire at the age of 50, while in others people can work until they are 65 or 70. Meanwhile, we see some employees enjoying employment well into their eighties. Clearly, there is little agreement on an appropriate retirement age. Until what age do you think people should be encouraged to remain in paid employment?
Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.
Mandatory retirement age varies from society to society, perhaps a reflection of economics, population pressures or simply value systems. Indeed, retirement at 50 can probably be as easily justified as that at 70. It is my belief, however, that the longer an able person is allowed to work, the better it is for both the individual worker and society overall.
First of all, chronological age is not always a true indicator of ability. For example, while some 65 year olds may not perform as well as they did in their past, many workers at this age do just as well, or even better, than they used to. People's suitability for a position should be a reflection of their performance in the job, rather than the number of wrinkles or grey hairs they have. Employers concerned about the increasing age of their employees need only observe their work records. Those doing poorly may be asked to retire, but those as yet unaffected by age should continue on. In fact, it would appear economical for an organization to retain its older employees when possible, rather than spend time and money on training new workers.
Second of all, remaining in one's job for as long as one is able makes sense as life expectancies increase around the world. As people live longer, they are able to contribute to society in the form of meaningful work. But they are also in need of income for a longer period. A mandatory retirement age of 55 for someone who is statistically likely to live to 77, becomes increasingly difficult to justify. Furthermore, by keeping able workers in paid employment for as long as is possible, public expenditures are less strained.
 Thus, workers who can still demonstrate their capacity to carry out their work should not be asked to retire simply because they have reached a certain age. In conclusion, societies that insist on early retirement should seriously consider eliminating such age discrimination policies, for the benefit of both the citizen, and society as a whole.

2. People should be allowed to continue working for as long as they want to, and not be forced to retire at a particular age such as 60 or 65. Do you agree or disagree? Specifying a mandatory retirement age is a controversial topic around the world, as it is a form of age discrimination. Consequently, most people agree employees should be allowed to continue working so long as they are healthy and can tolerate work burdens. Nevertheless, other people believe that a fixed retirement age is a must. In my point of view, even though it is important to meet the needs of younger generations, “forcing” hardworking, motivated people to retire simply based on age is not an effective solution. On the one hand, a growing number of people believe there should never be an age limit to work. Working helps people both physically and mentalIy, and prevents a myriad of diseases. Experienced professionals are a gift to society and should never stop spreading their knowledge, and expertise to younger generations. For example. Dr. Magdy Yacoub, an Egyptian cardio-thoracic surgeon, returned back to Egypt in his seventies to open a highly specialized cardiac centre. His aim was not only the free treatment of patients, but also training younger physicians in the field. Furthermore, another way that people can gain happiness is through their work. An amazing example of this is Dr. Ghulam Fayez of Operation Smile - a worldwide organization which helps people with life changing surgeries correcting cleft palates and cleft lips. A Plastic surgeon in Pakistan, Doctor Ghulam has performed over 10,000 volunteer surgeries in Pakistan and around the world. His colleagues at Operation Smile always comment on his commitment and passion towards his patients. For Dr. Ghulam, happiness is using his skills and medical training to help others. Hence, because of Dr. Ghulam's good deeds, he is the winner of several international prizes and awards and is constantly able to help others. If someone such as Dr.Ghulam was “forced to retire”, it would most certainly be society's loss .
On the other hand, many people argue that retirement is a must in countries with high unemployment rates, because this will give room to new generations to have job opportunities. Unfortunately however, rising living costs makes it difficult for anyone to remain unemployed, especially since pension money for most people is simply not enough to live on these days. Hence, “forcing” people to retire in todays expensive world is unjustified, and may cause homelessness, depression, anxiety and other problems in society.
In conclusion, a mandatory retirement age is not the solution. Experienced professionals should never be blocked from an honest living simply based on age. Through entrepreneurship, legislation and other forms of job creation, society should establish innovative ways to help people of all ages earn an honest living.

4. People succeed because of their hard work; luck has nothing to do with success.
Do you agree or disagree with this statement?
It is believed that people will achieve their goals and have successful careers if they work hard, and luck has no effect on it. To a certain point, I would agree that some people are successful due to their diligence and hard work, but I do believe that luck also plays an important part in peoples lives as well.
On the one hand, it is true people achieve the most if they work hard and diligently. People who have great determination, integrity and a positive attitude are unlike the average, ordinary workers. These extraordinary people have made success a priority in their lives and believe that the only requirements to achieve success are hard work, determination and a focused plan in life.
On the other hand, although some people might not believe in luck, others feel that luck has definitely affected their performance and achievements. For example, there are people who display average work performance and are still promoted by their superiors. Similarly, there are several salesmen who do not approach their potential customers aggressively, but somehow manage to achieve their sales target. For this group of people, they are convinced that luck has truly affected their careers.
In conclusion, even though some people believe the only way to succeed is through hard work, there are always exceptional cases. Therefore, the answer to the question is a personal choice and it is impossible to have only one “right” or “wrong” answer when it comes to such an issue.

7. Do you think that modern technology, such as the internet and computers will ever replace the book, or the written word as the main source of information? Give reasons for your answer using your own ideas and experience.
It is certainly true that these days, as technology advances, we are drifting further towards the internet for our research needs. But I think that computer technology will never be a replacement to books and written information. First of all, it is true that as the internet becomes more and more efficient it will gain a reputation for being a major source of information. However, we are often faced with an extremely important question while searching online: is the information correct and credible? The internet is full of erroneous information which may be incorrect and plagiarized. On the other hand, libraries, which carefully select their books, can never truly be replaced. Furthermore, libraries allow people of all socio-economic backgrounds to borrow books for free, unlike “online books” which must be paid for. Second of all, the entire process of “reading”- including underlining and writing notes in the margin, is an important aspect of the learning process. This is how students for hundreds of years were “active readers”. In fact, all of the greatest minds of the past only utilized written books. For example, trying to understand and solve mathematical problems, or even organic chemistry problems while staring at a computer screen is extremely difficult.
Similarly, it is much easier to read a difficult academic essay when we can underline and interact with the passage. The internet may be useful for “light” reading or leisure reading, but is extremely tiring on the eyes for more advanced subjects. Unfortunately, online social media such as “Facebook and Twitter” has also significantly decreased peoples attention spans to 100 words at a time.
Finally, new health problems are also associated with “modern technology” devices. New scientific evidence has shown that constant exposure to technological devices, i.e. cell phones, laptops, i-pads, kindle etc., exposes people to an abnormal amount of radiation both day and night. This may lead to abnormal eye problems later on in life, skin problems, and quite possibly cancer due to the heat and radiation that is directly and indirectly emitted. Hence, studying for long hours is best suited for old fashioned books. In conclusion, I think that as the computer age takes over, we should continue to use the internet for “light” reading and information. However, old fashioned books will never disappear because they have been, and will continue to be, a harmless and reliable source of information for people around the world.

8. "E- learning and “virtual classrooms/online courses” will eventually replace all traditional forms of teaching and learning."
To what extent to you agree? Classroom learning vs online education - Which is better?
There are some people who believe that distance learning and online computer classes should replace classroom learning. As far as I am concerned, I strongly believe that online classes should never replace classroom learning.
First, the classroom environment allows students to learn from their classmates, hence challenging and motivating you to improve your own performance. For example, when I was in my University Chemistry class, I was not serious about my studies. However, when I saw some of my classmates earning better grades than me, this “classroom competition” led me to study harder and I earned the highest score in my final exam. Being in a traditional classroom environment therefore, does have a positive psychological effect on students.
Second, classroom learning obligates you to be on time, and become a responsible and professional student. Such organization and time management skills are critical skills one learns in the University, and utilizes throughout their entire lives. Moreover, you can learn to be a good team member by participating in group-work and dealing with others on a daily basis.
Third, Professors play vital role in classroom learning. Most of them are specialists is their subjects, and they help provide valuable information and useful resources the student may not be aware of. For example, at first I signed up for an online course to help with my Medical College Admission Exam (MCAT) to the United States. It was cheaper than a traditional classroom course which I found advantageous. However, after 1 month I realized I could not commit to studying in front of a computer 100% of the time for several months. Being unable to have questions answered by a live human being is a huge disadvantage. It is very difficult to focus on complicated material without traditional classroom guidance and support. I decided to join a respectable test review course and not surprisingly, I am doing much better on the practice exams.
Overall, it's undeniable that online classes have some advantages for basic courses. However, for more advanced or intense courses, the traditional classroom can simply never be replaced. Learning in isolation is simply not the same as learning with your peers and an Instructor.
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9. https://eg.linkedin.com/in/rania-rafie-14663788
Rania Rafie – icecairo
9. Rania Rafie, co-founder of Up-fuse
Egypt produces 1 million tons of plastic waste, exactly the amount of rubbish that could cover the entire city of Cairo 55 times over. Furthermore, waste contaminates soil, water, and the health of the entire population…
Trendy, socially responsible, environmentally friendly: those are the cornerstones of Up-fuse – a business that makes fashionable well-designed bags out of plastic waste and turns risk into an opportunity.
Fuelled by ambition, Rania, and her friend partnered up in a small studio in Cairo to create their company. They started playing around with designs, crafting trendy bags from upcycled plastic materials, that are good for people and the environment. Furthermore, Up-fuse employs women from underprivileged backgrounds to manufacture the garments. The company started selling their products through social media and at various events. In addition to high growth, Up-fuse won an Injaz Award and joined the program of DO School in Germany. 9 9

10. Rania Rafie and Yara Yassin, co-founders of Upfuse
Environmentally friendly, socially responsible and extremely trendy: those are the principles guiding these two female entrepreneurs who decided to make fashion out of plastic waste. Firmly climbing the social business ladder, Rafie and Yassin began designing and manufacturing luggage cases from up-cycled plastic bags in a small studio they had rented in Cairo. Initially selling their products through social media and at events, the startup began to grow, obtaining an Injaz award and entering the incubation program DO School in Germany. Today, the company employs women from underprivileged backgrounds to manufacture the garments, while fighting taboos associated with wearing “garbage.”

11. http://schools. aucegypt. edu/business/aucvlab/pages/startup. aspx
Ayman Ismail, however, founder of American University in Cairo’s Venture Lab, a startup incubator that's financially backing Tatweer’s kiosk project, believes this is an effort able to connect with Cairo’s average business operator.
“Those guys are savvy, and if you offer them good value, they’ll do it,” Ismail says, referring to the kiosk vendors. “If you offer them a kiosk that’s worth $10,000 for free, that’s a substantial amount of money for anywhere, not just Egypt.”

13. Nowadays the amount of rubbish produced on a daily basis is increasing dramatically. What are the reasons for this, and what can people do to help reduce the amount of rubbish produced? Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience. The amount of garbage produced is rising at an alarming rate all over the world. Many large cities are struggling with effective garbage disposal and recycling programs. Even though this remains a challenging task, through entrepreneurship many people are discovering effective ways to combine profit while still managing to help the environment. First of all, the products we buy in the shops tend to be pre-wrapped in plastic or polystyrene containers. This is particularly true for processed foods, which are becoming increasingly popular. As soon as people arrive home they tend to throw this packaging away without effective recycling programs in place. Furthermore, many stores or shops do not have recycling bins or programs intact; hence, people will simply litter on the street instead.
Nevertheless, there are some measures which people could take to help reduce the problem of rubbish. First of all, entrepreneurs around the world are attempting to combine recycling with profit. For example, Rania Rafie of Upfuse Egypt is turning plastic waste into trendy handbags and accessories. Furthermore, other entrepreneurs are also seeking to encourage recycling while establishing a profitable company. An amazing example of how entrepreneurship can help environmental problems indirectly is TATWEER Egypt. Tayssir Ibrahim, CEO of the company, came up with a brilliant business idea. Large businesses such as Red Bull and Coca Cola would renovate and maintain old kiosks all over Cairo, in return for free advertising on the kiosk. In addition, recycling bins would be available and maintained at every kiosk, which would also help the environment and encourage people to stop littering. In conclusion, reducing the amount of rubbish and litter prevention in any society is a challenging task. Nevertheless, as Upfuse and TATWEER have proven, helping the environment while still maintaining a successful business is a definite possibility in this day and age. So long as technology exists, entrepreneurship will continue to serve as an effective tool turning everyday challenges, into profitable business opportunities.

14. https://eg.linkedin.com/in/ameersherif 14 14

16. The Exceptional Youth of Egypt- 16 16

18. Entrepreneurs/Volunteers
1. Rise Up Egypt
2. Mai Medhat
3. Laila Sedky
4. Dina El-Mofty
5. Injaz Egypt
6. Armando Dunn
7. UN Volunteers
8. Dr. Ayman Ismail
9. Amad Elmsaodi
10. Wuzzuf
11. Ameer Sharif
12.
13. 18

19. The Exceptional Youth of Egypt- 19 19

23. Some people say that self employment is better than a job in a company or an institution. What is your opinion? Give reasons to support your answer. In today's world, many young people dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Entrepreneurship is an interesting and challenging risk, which many people consider superior to working in a company. In my point of view, I feel that becoming an entrepreneur is a risk worth taking. Nevertheless, many people fear entrepreneurship as it demands special skills, experience, patience and determination.
On the one hand, self employment offers many benefits. The main advantages are that one can choose the type of work according to their own interests. A self employed person can manage their working hours, and may work at their own pace. Moreover, successful entrepreneurs can earn huge salaries and have greater opportunities to expand their company quickly. But with all these advantages, self employment first requires overcoming business fears and the risk of failure. A potential entrepreneur should have good decision and risk taking abilities to run a business successfully. Ameer Sharif, CEO of wuzzuf.com, is a primary example. He admits the road to success was not easy, and there were very difficult times he wanted to give up and return back to a “normal” job. With perseverance and patience however, Ameer succeeded as an entrepreneur, and is now helping people all over Egypt become entrepreneurs as well.
On the other hand, working in a company offers regular monthly paychecks, various bonuses and incentives. An individual need not worry about the risks involved in a traditional startup. In addition, a salaried job offers a sense of security and routine work for a defined number of hours everyday. Generally speaking, a “normal job” basically offers a “low-risk” opportunity to gain experience and to save money for future ventures. Nevertheless, great achievements have never come with easy or routine work. A 9am -to- 5pm lifestyle is not part of the deal when you’re an entrepreneur. Thus to conclude, I believe entrepreneurship and self employment are more worthwhile than working in a company. Nevertheless, an individual should spend some years in a 'normal' job to first gain experience and gather finances. Entrepreneurship is not an easy dream to achieve, but for the majority of people, it is definitely a risk worth taking. 23

24. https://eg.linkedin.com/in/ameersherif 24 24

25. Some people think that money is the most essential factor in promoting happiness. Do you agree or disagree? What other factors contribute towards happiness?
Money is considered by many people to be one of the most important contributing factors towards happiness. In my opinion, I agree that money is definitely important. One cannot really take any steps or do anything without having some money first. Nevertheless, certain aspects in life can play a vital role in creating happiness, which will eventually lead to financial prosperity.
First of all, one way that people can gain happiness is through their work. For instance, a doctor doing volunteer work in underdeveloped countries may have very little money, but the reward of helping people brings happiness in itself. In other words, happiness can be found through job satisfaction, entrepreneurship, internships and volunteer work. An amazing example of this is Dr. Ghulam Fayez of Operation Smile - a worldwide organization which helps people with life changing surgeries correcting cleft palates and cleft lips. A Plastic surgeon in Pakistan, Doctor Ghulam has performed over 10,000 volunteer surgeries in Pakistan and around the world. His colleagues at Operation Smile always comment on his commitment and passion towards his patients. For Dr. Ghulam, happiness is using his skills and medical training to help others. In addition, Dr. Ghulam recently published a paper: “A Model Humanitarian Cleft Mission: 312 Cleft Surgeries in 7 Days,”, which won a gold medal in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open Competition. He will be recognized at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 25, Hence, because of Dr. Ghulam's good deeds, he now has even more opportunities around the world as the winner of several international prizes and awards.
Second of all, another factor influencing happiness is simply having a positive attitude in life, and making good use of your time. For example, several volunteers who complete any volunteer mission, especially with the United Nations or Operation Smile, have commented on how they have discovered a new career direction in life. Whether they were employed, unemployed, or thinking of changing careers entirely, volunteering helped show them a new path, and helped them with a fresh new start in life. Having a sense of direction in life is an amazing source of happiness. Nevertheless, one must be patient and never give up.
In conclusion, dreams only come true when people take positive action. If more people strived in life towards positive use of their time, through volunteering, interning or entrepreneurship, then both happiness, and money, would eventually naturally follow.

26. https://eg.linkedin.com/in/ameersherif 26 26

27. Some people think that money is the most essential factor in promoting happiness. Do you agree or disagree? What other factors contribute towards happiness?
Money is considered by many people to be one of the most important contributing factors towards happiness. In my opinion, I agree that money is definitely important. One cannot really take any steps or do anything without having some money first. Nevertheless, certain aspects in life can play a vital role in creating happiness, which will eventually lead to financial prosperity.
First of all, one way that people can gain happiness is through their work. For instance, a doctor doing volunteer work in underdeveloped countries may have very little money, but the reward of helping people brings happiness in itself. In other words, happiness can be found through job satisfaction, entrepreneurship, internships and volunteer work. An amazing example of this is Dr. Ghulam Fayez of Operation Smile - a worldwide organization which helps people with life changing surgeries correcting cleft palates and cleft lips. A Plastic surgeon in Pakistan, Doctor Ghulam has performed over 10,000 volunteer surgeries in Pakistan and around the world. His colleagues at Operation Smile always comment on his commitment and passion towards his patients. For Dr. Ghulam, happiness is using his skills and medical training to help others. In addition, Dr. Ghulam recently published a paper: “A Model Humanitarian Cleft Mission: 312 Cleft Surgeries in 7 Days,”, which won a gold medal in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open Competition. He will be recognized at the American Society of Plastic Surgeons in Los Angeles on Sunday, September 25, Hence, because of Dr. Ghulam's good deeds, he now has even more opportunities around the world as the winner of several international prizes and awards.
Second of all, another factor influencing happiness is simply having a positive attitude in life, and making good use of your time. For example, several volunteers who complete any volunteer mission, especially with the United Nations or Operation Smile, have commented on how they have discovered a new career direction in life. Whether they were employed, unemployed, or thinking of changing careers entirely, volunteering helped show them a new path, and helped them with a fresh new start in life. Having a sense of direction in life is an amazing source of happiness. Nevertheless, one must be patient and never give up.
In conclusion, dreams only come true when people take positive action. If more people strived in life towards positive use of their time, through volunteering, interning or entrepreneurship, then both happiness, and money, would eventually naturally follow.

28. Vocabulary: Suggestions. 28

29. 29

30. IELTS Speaking/Writing basic outlines
Well, that's an interesting question.
1. In my opinion/perspective/point of view, I agree/disagree with...
2. First of all...
3. Second of all...
4. Finally...
5. Overall...Based on these reasons, I suppose..
I'm sorry, could you please repeat the question? Thank you.
1. To begin with/Generally speaking...
2. Personally I believe...
3. On the one hand...For example,
4. On the other hand...
5. But overall, I believe... 30

31. – How did you hear about this person? – Why is he/she in the news?
Describe a person from the news that you would like to speak with. Please say:
– Who is the person?
– How did you hear about this person?
– Why is he/she in the news?
That's a very interesting question. I never really gave it much thought, but it would be a privilege to meet Amad Almsaodi, the founder of aqarmap.com. To be honest, I had never even heard of his website before, nor was I even interested in entrepreneurship until a friend of mine invited me to a technology event last spring. First of all, there were several speakers at the event from around the world, including Mr. Almsaodi. Mr. Almsaodi delivered an outstanding presentation in both English and Arabic to the entire crowd. In addition, his knowledge and charisma left a very positive impression on me. You could tell he truly cared about helping others become successful entrepreneurs by his passion and body language. Overall, Amad is a very well-rounded individual – professional, smart, energetic, well educated with a very sharp vision for the future. With his enthusiasm and skills, I can tell that he will be one of the great young leaders in the Middle East. Therefore, It would truly be an honor to speak with Mr. Almsaodi, and learn more from such a brilliant individual. 31

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36. You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.
Before the internet, both adults and children would use their free time to volunteer, discover the visual arts (painting, art galleries), write or read books, or learn a new language or sport. Now with the internet, most people are no longer interested in such activities and risk not becoming “well-rounded” individuals in the future .
To what extent do you agree or disagree?
Without a doubt, the internet has become an essential part of our life in modern society. Nevertheless, I personally believe that for most people the utility behind the internet is gone, and it has simply become a major distraction in their daily life.
First of all, these days it is impossible to live without modern gadgets. New technology is utilized in everyday life by millions of people around the world. We can literally do everything online- make purchases, do business, communicate with friends etc. However, do most people actually use the internet as a “learning or business” tool? Probably not. University Professors in the United States are complaining students are simply “addicted” to technology but their critical thinking skills are not improving. Class discussions are weak, and seeing a book in someone's hand is now a rare sight. Hence, unlike generations of the past, most educated adults today are unable to maintain interesting or prolonged conversations with each other because they simply do not read enough quality information. Employers and University admissions officers also complain that most people do not have enough skills or interesting information to write on their CVs. The skills and life experience one learns from volunteering and community service is one of the best kept secrets amongst successful individuals of any age. Unfortunately, most people prefer to go online in their free time and miss out on amazing and life-changing volunteer opportunities.
Second of all, the reality is most people simply do not use the internet as a “learning or business” tool. Most adults are now addicted to social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter and have an extremely difficult time focusing in general. Describing a favorite movie or book in detail has even become a difficult task. Most educators agree that learning and success in general requires a very important skill—patience. Because the internet provides answers too quickly it makes people think they are experts simply because they can access anything and everything immediately. Therefore, students no longer care to read challenging books, they rarely read long articles and they do not see the benefit of volunteering or performing community service. They can no longer focus. A successful future belongs to those who can focus, and this will be an increasingly small and rare group of people. Quite frankly, the internet for most people has now simply become a major distraction.
In conclusion, people should discipline themselves, make a conscious and honest effort to become aware of these issues and balance their time online wisely. The internet and technology are powerful tools, but we will only benefit from them when we use them in a positive and constructive way.

43. To: A&E Movie Channel Network
Thank you so much for airing “Titanic” last evening and requesting viewers to submit their reviews. I saw the movie when it first came out in 1997 and it brought back some wonderful memories.
First of all, this movie is an absolute masterpiece. It is based on the true story of the actual sinking of the Titanic ship, which ultimately carried over 1,500 people to their death in the ice cold waters of the North Atlantic ocean in the early hours of April 15, Without a doubt, Titanic is simply a glorious film. With incredible production values, first class acting, dynamic special effects, breathtaking cinematography, wonderful storyline, outstanding music, everything about the film is just perfect. I can't find one fault in it.
Second, the way it depicts the human struggles of the characters, the arrogance of the ship's owners and passengers, the sheer proportions of the sinking, it is nothing short of brilliant.
Finally, I was so completely captivated by the movie that when it finished it was like being thrown back into the real world. I literally forgot about reality for three hours and fifteen minutes. You're completely involved with the characters and their struggles from beginning to end, it's incredible. You immediately get the feeling that you are in the movie-- and when the boat sinks, you feel as if you are right there on board with them.
One of the best movies ever made, period. I'd give the film a very solid 10 out of 10.
Thank you so much again for continuing to share such family-oriented movies on your channel. Overall, I would definitely recommend Titanic as it will definitely continue to impress future generations for all time.
Sincerely, ______ 262 words