TASK 2 (AGREE OR DISAGREE): FUNDING FOR PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES

Some countries spend a lot of money preparing competitors to take part in major competitions such as Olympic Games or football World Cup. Some people say that it would be better to spend this money encouraging children to take up sports from a young age. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Sample Answer

Numerous countries worldwide are known to allocate substantial public funds to preparing athletic competitors for world-renowned sports tournaments, such as the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. However, detractors of this funding model argue in favour of prioritised expenditure for initiatives supporting early athletic interests in children. Despite legitimate defences underpinning subsidies for professional athletes, I firmly root for policies geared toward increasing children’s physical fitness and well-being.

Proponents of an Olympic-scale athletic funding model argue in favour of national cohesiveness. These supporters maintain that during international games, such as the renowned World Cup, Euro, and NBA finals, sports spectators are often seen rooting for their national teams and favourite athletes. These transient moments briefly transcend national divisions and overlook potential conflicts as fans commit to supporting athletes uniting under the same flag. It is hard to argue that such a public display of patriotism can be widely seen in other instances besides international sports competitions, in which national unity is promoted above all else.

However, significant investments in specialised facilities for top athletes are not likely to generate additional returns as soon as the events are over. Most Olympic stadiums, for example, those in Athens, London, and Rio de Janeiro, have been left in dilapidated and run-down conditions. If budgetary allocations had been diverted towards other equally critical areas, such as education, transportation, and healthcare, this would have benefited not only the national economy but also public well-being.

To add further credence to my assertion, allocating resources to cultivate an early passion for athletic pursuits is likely to yield greater returns. These initiatives can be implemented in the form of subsidised fitness centres, public workout spaces, and sports courts in schools. Children, when inspired to take up sports from an early age, are likely to cultivate a constructive lifelong habit of staying fit, remaining athletically competitive, and maintaining a healthy diet. Such early adoptions would, in turn, lower the rate of obesity and other cardiovascular diseases while engendering a health-conscious and physically competitive generation. In the aggregate, this would contribute to increased individual well-being and reduce the health burden on the government, leading to a higher quality of life and greater social stability.

In conclusion, while there are limited and short-lived values for state subsidies in terms of supporting national competitors, there are greater outcomes derived from initiatives geared towards children’s physical fitness and overall well-being. On balance, countries should strike a balance between specialised facilities and programmes that benefit the masses, taking into account that children are the future of nations.

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TỪ VỰNG HAY

Some countries spend a lot of money preparing competitors to take part in major competitions such as Olympic Games or football World Cup. Some people say that it would be better to spend this money encouraging children to take up sports from a young age. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Numerous countries worldwide are known to allocate substantial public funds to preparing athletic competitors for world-renowned sports tournaments, such as the Olympic Games and the Football World Cup. However, detractors of this funding model argue in favour of prioritised expenditure for initiatives supporting early athletic interests in children. Despite legitimate defences underpinning subsidies for professional athletes, I firmly root for policies geared toward increasing children’s physical fitness and well-being.

Proponents of an Olympic-scale athletic funding model argue in favour of national cohesiveness. These supporters maintain that during international games, such as the renowned World Cup, Euro, and NBA finals, sports spectators are often seen rooting for their national teams and favourite athletes. These transient moments briefly transcend national divisions and overlook potential conflicts as fans commit to supporting athletes uniting under the same flag. It is hard to argue that such a public display of patriotism can be widely seen in other instances besides international sports competitions, in which national unity is promoted above all else.

However, significant investments in specialised facilities for top athletes are not likely to generate additional returns as soon as the events are over. Most Olympic stadiums, for example, those in Athens, London, and Rio de Janeiro, have been left in dilapidated and run-down conditions. If budgetary allocations had been diverted towards other equally critical areas, such as education, transportation, and healthcare, this would have benefited not only the national economy but also public well-being.

To add further credence to my assertion, allocating resources to cultivate an early passion for athletic pursuits is likely to yield greater returns. These initiatives can be implemented in the form of subsidised fitness centres, public workout spaces, and sports courts in schools. Children, when inspired to take up sports from an early age, are likely to cultivate a constructive lifelong habit of staying fit, remaining athletically competitive, and maintaining a healthy diet. Such early adoptions would, in turn, lower the rate of obesity and other cardiovascular diseases while engendering a health-conscious and physically competitive generation. In the aggregate, this would contribute to increased individual well-being and reduce the health burden on the government, leading to a higher quality of life and greater social stability.

In conclusion, while there are limited and short-lived values for state subsidies in terms of supporting national competitors, there are greater outcomes derived from initiatives geared towards children’s physical fitness and overall well-being. On balance, countries should strike a balance between specialised facilities and programmes that benefit the masses, taking into account that children are the future of nations.

Vocabulary

1. allocate substantial public funds – phân bổ ngân sách công lớn
2. world-renowned sports tournaments – các giải thể thao nổi tiếng toàn cầu
3. detractors of this funding model – những người phản đối mô hình tài trợ này
4. prioritised expenditure – chi tiêu được ưu tiên
5. legitimate defences underpinning subsidies – lập luận hợp lý hỗ trợ việc trợ cấp
6. geared toward increasing – hướng tới việc tăng cường
7. Olympic-scale athletic funding model – mô hình tài trợ thể thao quy mô Olympic
8. national cohesiveness – sự gắn kết quốc gia
9. transient moments – khoảnh khắc thoáng qua
10. transcend national divisions – vượt qua ranh giới quốc gia
11. public display of patriotism – biểu hiện công khai của lòng yêu nước
12. national unity – sự đoàn kết dân tộc
13. significant investments in specialised facilities – khoản đầu tư đáng kể vào cơ sở vật chất chuyên biệt
14. generate additional returns – tạo thêm lợi nhuận / giá trị
15. dilapidated and run-down conditions – tình trạng xuống cấp trầm trọng
16. budgetary allocations – sự phân bổ ngân sách
17. equally critical areas – các lĩnh vực quan trọng tương đương
18. add further credence to my assertion – củng cố thêm cho lập luận của tôi
19. allocating resources to cultivate an early passion – phân bổ nguồn lực để nuôi dưỡng niềm đam mê sớm
20. yield greater returns – mang lại lợi ích lớn hơn
21. subsidised fitness centres – trung tâm thể dục được trợ cấp
22. cultivate a constructive lifelong habit – hình thành thói quen tích cực lâu dài
23. engendering a health-conscious and physically competitive generation – tạo ra một thế hệ ý thức về sức khỏe và cạnh tranh thể chất
24. reduce the health burden on the government – giảm gánh nặng y tế cho chính phủ
25. strike a balance – đạt được sự cân bằng

✔ DÀN Ý & PARAPHRASING

🔹 Introduction (Mở bài)

• Idea chính: Debate whether to spend public funds on professional athletes or on children’s physical development.
• Paraphrase strategy:
  • Spend money → allocate substantial public funds
  • Professional athletes → athletic competitors / national competitors
  • Children’s sports → early athletic interests / physical fitness and well-being
• Opinion: Ủng hộ đầu tư cho trẻ em (focus on long-term health & national future).

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🔹 Body 1 – Ủng hộ tài trợ cho vận động viên chuyên nghiệp (Opposing view)

• Main idea: Promotes national cohesiveness and patriotism.
• Paraphrase:
  • Unity → national unity / cohesiveness
  • Pride in country → public display of patriotism
  • Support national teams → rooting for national athletes
• Example: During World Cup / Olympics, people transcend national divisions, showing unity.
• → Từ keyword “unity”, mở rộng idea thành “tạo niềm tự hào dân tộc” → positive emotional impact.

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🔹 Body 2 – Phản biện (Counterpoint)

• Main idea: Such investments bring short-lived benefits and economic waste.
• Paraphrase:
  • Spend money → significant investments / budgetary allocations
  • Waste → dilapidated and run-down facilities
  • No long-term gain → not likely to generate additional returns
• Development: Nếu chuyển tiền qua education / healthcare, sẽ benefit the masses.
• → Từ keyword “funding”, chuyển hướng idea sang “opportunity cost”.

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🔹 Body 3 – Lập luận chính (Your view: children-focused funding)

• Main idea: Investing early → better public health & productivity.
• Paraphrase:
  • Encourage sports in children → cultivate an early passion for athletic pursuits
  • Build habits → cultivate a constructive lifelong habit
  • Healthy generation → health-conscious and physically competitive generation
• Outcome: Giúp reduce the health burden on the government, nâng cao quality of life.
• → Từ keyword “health”, triển khai thêm về economy + social stability.

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🔹 Conclusion (Kết bài)

• Summary: Both sides có giá trị, nhưng children’s programmes → long-term benefits hơn.
• Paraphrase:
  • Balance spending → strike a balance
  • Future of the country → children are the future of nations

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💡 Key Lexical Patterns / Paraphrasing Tips (Ghi chú học từ vựng):

1. funding → public funds / subsidies / budgetary allocations / investments
2. athletes → athletic competitors / national sports representatives
3. children’s sports → early athletic pursuits / physical development
4. benefits → returns / outcomes / long-term gains
5. health → well-being / fitness / lower disease rates