Topic 1: Does increasing travels between countries enable people to learn different cultures or to

Topic 104: Some people argue that it is good for children to stay away from their 
families and go to a boarding school. Others suggest that children live with their families 
and attend a day school. What is your opinion?
 
(have to cope with geographic displacement frequently), (educational continuity);
(regular supervised study periods), (high achievement standards) ;
(communal life) (The community atmosphere fosters relationships between students and others, such 
as faculty and classmates),
(experience social detachment);
(alienate children from parents), (emotional needs),
(Less free time),
(peer groups become a more significant force)
Many parents expect their children to live at home until college. However, there are 
occasions on which parents have to send their children to a boarding school, an educational 
institution not only giving educational instruction but also providing food and lodging. A 
boarding school, as an alternative to a day school, has its advantages and disadvantages, as 
outlined below.
The boarding school option means early separation from parents. For this reason, a 
student's self-reliance and independence are both bolstered. Living away from home, students 
have to make most of daily decisions by themselves. They have to adjust to another set of new 
circumstances and surroundings, which is a good opportunity for them to exercise a variety of 
skills, such as social skills. Rather than depending on their parents, students have to do the 
laundry themselves, manage their diets, and keep their bedrooms clean and tidy. They are 
more self-disciplined than those who attend day schools.
In addition, there is no denying that to many parents, a boarding school provides a choice 
that merits particular attention, and sometimes, the sole option. Geographic relocation, for 
example, presents a problem of educational continuity. Because of their career, parents might 
have to resettle in a neighborhood where schooling facilities are inadequate. A boarding 
school is the best option to them, as it protects children from the influence of frequent 
relocations. It also suits those families where parents are so devoted to their work that they 
fail to bear care responsibilities.
Although boarding schools succeed in satisfying the needs of some families, opponents are 
concerned about their mixed impacts on children's development. For example, their 
intervention on children's academic years appears to be excessive. Extracurricular programs 
occupy children's free time and children are required to obey a large number of rules, most of 
which are stringent and redundant. Any minor mistake can engender punishment or even 
expulsion. Without permission, students cannot go outside defined school bounds. It is no 
exaggeration to say that children are virtually living in an isolated world.
From what has been discussed, one can observe that a boarding school has its position in 
a fast paced society, assisting children to enhance their independence and undertaking care 
responsibilities as a replacement of parents, although students might have to face limited 
contact with their families, communities and the loss of freedom.
1. lodging=accommodation=temporary housing
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2. bolster=boost
3. self-disciplined= temperate=moderate 
4. merit=deserve
5. relocation=repositioning=moving=resettlement 
6. continuity=stability 
7. stringent = strict = rigorous =rigid=inflexible
8. engender = provoke = cause = bring out
9. expulsion = exclusion = discharge = kicking out 
10. Without permission = without authorization
 
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