CBSE Class 12 English Writing Skills Long Compositions Debate Writing Notes

Debates

When two speakers or two groups of speakers argue over an issue, expressing opposing views, so as to convince the jury and audience of their own point of view, this formal discussion is known as a debate. The speakers speak either for the motion or against it.

Format of a Debate

(a) Formal Address : A debater must always start by formally addressing the chief guest, jury members and the audience. This should be the opening line of the debate.

(b) The Motion : Next, the speaker must introduce himself/herself and make his/her stand clear i.e., whether one is for the motion or against it. This should form the first paragraph while writing the debate.

(c) The Argument : Forcefully and clearly, the speaker must express his/her views either for or against the motion. Highlight the main points of the argument and at the same time use ideal examples to support them. The points should be strong and logical so as to nullify some of the points made by the opponent. These main points of the argument must be highlighted in the middle portion.

(d) The conclusion : The speaker must express his/her own views about the issue in the concluding lines of the debate. It is usually an impactful statement, which emphasises one’s stand on the issue. Include a rhetorical question for listeners to ponder upon.

(e) End with ‘Thank You!’

Question. SAMPLE DEBATE - Simple Living High Thinking : A Mantra of Healthy Living
Answer: Worthy chairperson, Honourable Judges and my dear students, Today I, Malini, stand before you to speak for the motion, ‘Simple Living High Thinking : A Mantra of Healthy Living’. As modern times dawned, people changed their ways of living. As newer inventions kept making their lives easier and easier, people became materialistic. They gave up simple joys of life, such as spending time with family, going outside to play, reading, etc. As a result, their ability to think about greater things in life deteriorated. Eventually, people started getting burdened with worries, anxiety and negative thoughts. This led to various lifestyle diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cancer, etc. A simple living means to be content with only that which is necessary. Spending excessive money on expensive things, which one may not need is not simple living. It even has consequences. For instance, in order to maintain a lavish lifestyle, one often spends more than what one earns. Later, when there is lack of money, the same person has to either make compromises or take loan from others. People who live a simple life are less or not bothered by the momentary joys. This gives them time to indulge in more important aspects of life, such as finding inner peace, developing into a better human being, and feel spiritual. High thinking is not thinking highly about oneself. It means to think positive and of the betterment of humanity. Not constantly worrying about the trivial things in life has positive effects on an individual’s health. She/he eats healthy food, exercises properly, thinks positive and stays happy. In conclusion, I strongly feel that, practicing simple living and high thinking will certainly lead to a healthy living. Thank you.

Speeches

To be precise, a speech is a formal talk given by a person to an audience. Quite similar to a debate, the speaker expresses his/her strong opinions about an issue with the purpose to convince the listeners to understand his/her point of view. To keep the listener interested in his/her speech, the speaker must :

• Introduction : Begin the speech with a meaningful quote or statement or by sharing a personal experience, which is relevant to the topic of the speech. Once you have the audience’s attention, formally address the chief guest, fellow presenters and members of the audience. Eventually, introduce the topic of speech.
• The Topic : Make the speech impactful by including logical arguments and substantiating his/her views with pertinent facts and examples. The language used also plays an important role. The speaker must use formal, powerful language.
• Summation : While summing up the speech the speaker must highlight the most important points. He/she can even suggest relevant solutions to problem discussed in the speech.
• Conclusion : The speech must end either with an appeal, a request, a warning or with a call for action. But, it must end on a positive note. Say ‘Thank you’ at the end of speech.

Question. SAMPLE SPEECH - Evils of Dowry System
Answer: Honourable Principal, Respected Teachers and my dear friends. Today I, Monika, would like to express my views on the ‘Evils of Dowry System’. India is a patriarchal society and many evil practices against women, such as female foeticide, early marriage, etc. are prevalent even now. One such practice is Dowry System, which has claimed lives of many innocent women since time immemorial. Dowry System came into practice in the vedic period when upper caste people presented the bridegroom with dowry. It was to support the girl since she did not inherit anything under Hindu Law. As times passed, the practice, which was to benefit the bride, became a social evil. Dowry System allows a variety of crimes to take place every day. Women are tortured mentally and physically. They have to face humiliation, threats and more often than not, become hostage in the house of their in-laws. Most common dowry crimes are dowry deaths, either by suicide or murder, domestic violence, marital rape, sexual harassment, etc. Although, government of India has recognised dowry as a crime and has established various laws against it, they have been found ineffective. Laws alone are insufficient to completely prohibit Dowry System. Awareness and education is also extremely necessary. Until and unless, women have financial security and equal rights in the society, they cannot live with dignity. They also deserve equal job opportunities with pay equal to what men are paid. Every aspect of life is incomplete without women. Those who torment and torture women for dowry must not be treated with sympathy. We all must unite against the evil of Dowry System and make our country a safe place for women.

Reports

A report is a written or spoken account of an occurrence, incident or an event in a newspaper, on television, radio, etc. A report can be of four types:
• A newspaper report
• A report about an event held at a school, institution or organisation
• A report about an accident or incident one witnessed
• A report about an enquiry/survey

Format of a Report

Headline
Name of the Reporter
Body of the Report
Conclusion

• Headline : It should be catchy, short and informative.
• Name of the Reporter : It comes immediately under the heading and is accompanied by designation (if mentioned in the question) and whom one is writing for.
• Body of the Report : If the report is being written for a newspaper, it must, begin with the mention of name of the place and date. When reporting an accident, mention the time it occurred in the first paragraph. Although, when reporting for a school magazine, it is not necessary to write the place and date at the beginning of the first line, that information must be provided in the first paragraph. On the whole, the body of the report must answer the quintessential what, when, where, who and how questions. It should be factual and not fictitious. It should be written in indirect speech, in third person (without I, me or you). Since the reporter is ‘reporting’ an incidence/event, he/she cannot/should not give his/her personal opinion.
• Conclusion : It describes the summation of the event or incident.

Question. SAMPLE REPORTS - Report About an Event-1: Protest Rally Against Rampant Corruption — By Mridul Gupta, HT Reporter
Answer: New Delhi, 24 May, 20\( \times \times \) : Members of the Young Urban Volunteers Association (YUVA), a youth organisation, held a protest rally on 23 May, 20\( \times \times \). Young boys and girls of YUVA organised the rally to raise their voice against rampant corruption in the society. The four hours long rally saw participants from various age groups who took to the road at 11:00 a.m. sharp. The rally started from Connaught Circus and moved further to Janpath. From there the rally group walked to various iconic places of capital city, singing patriotic songs and shouting slogans on anti-corruption. The rally finally stopped at Qutub Minar where the youth representatives of YUVA performed a street play on corruption and how to curb it. The attempt to spread the message of protest against corruption proved quite successful with general public joining in and vowing to fight against it.

Question. Report About an Event-2: Inter-School Drama Competition Held — By Rudra Shome, Secretary Drama Society
Answer: Drama Society of Red Roses Public School organised a week long inter school drama competition from March 6 to 8, 20\( \times \times \). Held at their newly renovated auditorium, the drama competition was inaugurated by award winning actress Ms. Nandita Das, who graced the occasion as chief guest and special judge. Schools from all over Delhi participated in the competition, the theme of which was ‘Save the Girl Child’. The school premises was beautifully decorated and posters and banners on ‘Save the Girl Child’ were displayed everywhere. The principal welcomed all with a powerful speech about the importance of education. Post that Ms. Nandita Das spoke about the declining sex ratio and plight of many girl children who face various forms of violence, such as rape, molestation, early marriage, etc. The drama competition commenced post the students and audience pledged to encourage education and protection of girl child. The inaugural day held four plays on themes, such as female feticide, dowry deaths, etc. Ms. Das appreciated and praised each performance and the message each of the plays sent across. The rest of the week brought forward some equally thought provoking theatre.

Question. Report About an Accident–3: Brutal Car Crash, Teenage Driver Dead — By Nidhi sen, Staff Correspondent
Answer: New Delhi, 15 April 20\( \times \times \) : A 16-year-old boy was killed this morning when his car collided with an empty school bus near Rose View High School, Mathura Road. Victim was rushed to Artimis Hospital, where he was announced dead on arrival. Police said the accident occurred as the victim attempted to turn right from Rose View High School. He turned onto the path of the school bus, which was headed straight ahead. The unsuspecting bus driver struck the right side of the victim’s speeding car. According to witnesses, the collision was so impactful that the car traveled 54 feet north of the intersection, was forced off the road and into a ditch. Police said that the bus driver who was also badly injured was rushed to the nearest government hospital and that further investigations are on.

Factual Description

Systematic description of an animate or inanimate subject so as to create a proper mental image of it without having any prior knowledge of the subject is called factual description. It can be used to describe the physical attributes of a person, place or object in detail as the subject might be perceived.

The Factual Description must have :

• A title
• Use of present tense and passive voice
• Only facts

Types of Factual Descriptions

A. Of a Place : Pay attention to the space and location while writing a factual description of a place. One can include information/details, such as name of the place, things of importance around it, why is it there, why is it special, etc.

Question. Sample : Factual Description of a Place - A Visit to a Hospital
Answer: A hospital is a place where the sick or the wounded come for treatment. They are attended to by qualified doctors, nurses and other medical staff. The different wings of the hospital are called wards. People suffering from different diseases are admitted there and treated. The victims of accidents are admitted in the casualty ward. People having ear, nose and throat trouble are treated in the E.N.T. ward. Similarly, there is an ICCU ward for very seriously afflicted heart patients, Pediatric Ward for children below 12 years of age, Orthopedic wards for patients with broken bones and Neurology and Psychiatry wards for patients suffering from mental ailments. There are special wards for women, children and separate wards for burns, eyes, physiotherapy, etc. The general wards of a hospital are generally overcrowded. Hundreds of patients suffering from different diseases are admitted here but not every patient who comes to the hospital is admitted. Thousands of patients visit the Out Patient Department (OPD) for consultation, diagnosis and treatment of their diseases. Doctors and nurses visit the patients at regular intervals. Food and other things are also provided to the patients. There are private rooms for those who can afford. Facilities for X-ray, E.C.G., Oxygen gas equipment, Blood Bank and Diagnostic laboratory also exist in a good hospital. But no hospital can be good without good doctors and nurses who are expected to be professionally oriented, kind and sympathetic to the patients. To a common man, hospital is a dreadful place full of stench, sickness, and sufferings — a place he would never like to visit.

Question. B. Of a Person : Sample : Factual Description of a Person - A Rickshaw Puller
Answer: A rickshaw puller is a common sight in India. He can be seen standing at public places like bus stands, railway stations and road crossings waiting for passengers. A rickshaw puller appears miserable and weak. He is not treated well by the general public and is generally overworked and underpaid. He is generally humiliated by everyone. This makes the rickshaw puller sometimes pay them in the same coin. He also behaves with them rudely and harshly. The life of the rickshaw puller is very hard. He works from morning till evening and even at night. He carries passengers and loads from one place to another. The poor rickshaw puller has to submit to the dictates of his passengers as well as the nasty goons and greedy policemen. A few rickshaw pullers fall into bad habits. They waste their hard earned money in drinking, drugs and gambling. They should be saved from this evil and something must be done to improve their lot.

Question. C. Of an Object : Sample : Factual Description of an Object - The Pressure Cooker
Answer: An air tight metal pot that uses steam under pressure at high temperature to cook food quickly. It is a special cooking pot with a locking, air tight lid and a valve system to regulate internal pressure. Pressure cookers operate on a principle where the steam that builds up inside the pressurised pot cooks food at a very high temperature. This reduces the cooking time by as much as two-thirds without destroying the food’s nutritional value. Since, the food cooks faster it is therefore a time saving device. It has a safety valve and a weight on its head. When the pressure inside the cooker reaches its optimum level, the weight lifts up automatically, a whistle is heard and the extra steam gets released in the atmosphere. However, if some food particles choke the outlet, there is danger of the cooker bursting. In that case, the safety valve gets opened up by itself and the steam leaks out. The use of pressure cooker therefore needs cautious handling. In some bigger pressure cookers, different pans can be kept to cook two three food items simultaneously. Food cooked in a pressure cooker is nourishing and hygienic.

Articles

An article is a piece of writing about a particular subject for the purpose of publishing in newspapers, magazines, blogs, etc. to be read by the general public. An article is written either to inform, entertain or express one’s views. An article must be engaging if not always creative or formal. It should be informative, factual and supported by substantial instances. Thoughts and ideas must be arranged in a continuous flow so that the article make complete sense from the beginning till the end.

Format of an Article

• Heading : It must be catchy, giving the reader an idea about the topic/theme of the article. It is immediately followed by name of the writer.
• The Topic : After a subtle introduction of the topic in the first few lines, emphasise on the main points, causes/effects, positives, negatives, etc. in the body of the article.
• End/Conclusion : Depending on the theme or topic of the article, the writer can suggest solutions, appeal for a change or give a word of warning.

Question. Sample Article - What is Ailing Our Tourism? by Astha Awasthi
Answer: India is known for its rich flora and fauna, beautiful landscapes, glorious past and varied cultural trends. All this makes India a major attraction for tourism. However, the reality is far from this. Tourism in India has been constantly suffering setbacks due to its inefficient tourism industry. Bad and filthy roads, rickety buses, over-priced taxis, delayed trains, all make travelling a nightmare in India. Moreover, the absence of decent and hygienic accommodations, at a reasonable cost, adds to the distraction of tourists visiting India. Besides, the growing menace of terrorism is a huge deterrent for tourists. The Government of India needs to put concerted efforts in place to revamp tourism in the country. Utmost emphasis should be placed on infrastructure development and beefing up the security. Such efforts will certainly make India a leader in the world of tourism.

Question: ‘The Internet cannot replace a classroom teacher’. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
Debate:

Respected Judges, Honourable Principal, teachers and my worthy opponents. Good morning to you all.

Today I, Komal, stand before you to speak against the motion on the topic ‘Reality T.V. draws a factual picture of life’.

These days, many television channels telecast various  reality T.V. shows. Such shows are no longer limited to Hindi entertainments  channels. English as well as regional entertainment channels are also in the league.

A lot of viewers find the daily soaps to be unreal, nonsensical and simply boring. Reality shows, on the contrary, are considered relatable, thus a respite from the daily soaps.

It is true that reality T.V. shows are interesting and most of the time hold on to the viewers’ attention. However, on the hindsight, these reality shows are just another gimmick used by television channels to gain Television Rating Points (TRPs). A make believe world is created within  the  T.V. shows, which appear to be real, but actually, it is not.

The participants in the reality T.V. shows may not be actors. However, on many occasions, they are found to be role playing. The way they behave, the things they say, seem well-rehearsed and scripted. At such times, the viewers’ emotional attachment to the reality show’s participants loses it credibility.

To top  it all, exaggerated and  forced emotions, expressed by the judges and contestants, adds to the fakeness of the reality T.V. shows. In order to cater to the sensationalism, sometimes the results are pre-decided. The contestant who is most loved by the public or has garnered maximum public sympathy and support is made the winner, where as the talented contestants  get evicted or voted out.

I would like to conclude by saying that one might learn to accept failure or success from reality T.V. shows. However, one must not believe everything one sees there.

Thank you.

Question: Consumerism is increasing day by day. Luxuries of yesterday have become necessities of today. The result is that the more we want the more miserable we become. Write a debate in 150 – 200 words on ‘The only way to minimise human suffering and pain is to control our needs.’ You are Navtej/Navita.
Debate:

Honourable members of the Jury, respected Principal, Teachers, audience and My worthy opponents. Good morning to you all.

Today I, Navita, stand before you to speak for the motion ‘the only way to minimise human suffering and pain is to control our needs.’

“There is sufficiency in this world for man’s needs but not for man’s greed’’,  said Mahatma Gandhi. Unfortunately, this is the scenario today. The things that were regarded luxuries at one point of time are now termed as necessities. We cannot imagine life without certain items like a computer, a washing machine or even a mobile phone. But weren’t our parents and their parents able to lead content lives even without these things? It is time that we understand that we have become slaves to our greed. We not only are drying up resources rapidly to get what we want but are degrading our health too. Human beings are never satisfied with what they already have. They always want more and more. When one is unable to have exactly what one wants, one becomes sad and dissatisfied. One keeps suffering until one has what one wants. Sometimes one even resorts to criminal activities just to get what they want. However, it only increases one’s sufferings and pain.

Whatever be the problem, there is only one simple solution, controlling our needs and differentiating them from our greed. The more we enslave ourselves, the more we suffer.

Thank you.

Question: ‘Rising prices can be controlled only by the government’. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion
Debate:

Respected Chairperson, Honourable Members of the Jury and my worthy opponents. Good morning to you all.

Today I, Latika, stand before you to speak for the motion ‘Rising prices can be controlled only by the government’. Price rise or inflation deeply affects the daily life of a common man in India. It is one of the biggest problems of this country. There has been a continuous rise in prices of essential consumer products, such as grains, vegetables, cooking oil, etc. There are various reasons, which cause the prices of basic consumer goods to rise. However, one of the main  causes is the gap between the demand and supply of the products. High demand, low supply leads to hoarding and black marketing. The high demand essential commodities are then sold  at even higher prices. The common man is the most affected at the time of inflation. They have no other options than to buy basic, everyday use products at escalated prices. If this continues to happen in the future, it will become tough for the common man to survive.

The government must empathise with the plight of the poorest of the poor and take some necessary actions to prevent prices of essential commodities from sky-rocketing.

It should put a stop to hoarding and black marketing  and  come  up  with  adequate mechanisms to increase the production of the essential commodities to meet the rising demands. The needs of the common man should be looked into before exporting products to other countries. Moreover, in adverse situation, Government can utilise subsidies so that the prices can be kept low.

Summing up, I would like to say that the common man can do cost cutting or check his spending capacity. But, it is the Government  that can do much more than just implement laws.

Thank you.

Question: The government has banned the use of animals in the laboratories for the purpose of dissection. Write a debate in 150 – 200 words either for or against this decision.
Debate:

Respected Principal, Members of the Jury and my worthy opponents. Good morning to you all. Today I, Neetu stand before you to speak for the motion ‘Ban Animal Dissection’.

The dissection of animals inside science labs encourages cruelty towards animals. Animal dissection is an unethical practice because many of these animals are captured from their natural surroundings and treated unjustly.

Animals are sold to schools from pet stores and, at times, as by-products from meat industries. They are shipped in small and crowded containers, which are not properly ventilated.

Like humans, animals too have the right to live a respectful life. However, animal  dissection is just one way of snatching away that right. It also inculcates in students the wrong idea that animals lives don’t  matter,  that  they are disposable. The question worth asking is, is animal dissection really that  necessary, unless a student chooses to pursue career in that field? If at all, he or she does, the student would get the opportunity to practise dissection on human cadavers at the University.

I would like to conclude by saying, it is the age of technology and education is becoming virtual. So why not opt for virtual dissection instead of actual dissection? It is not only educative and interactive, it is also economical and saves the of precious lives of many animals.

Thank you.

Question: ‘Brain drain is not a bane for a developing country like India’. Write a debate in 150-200 words either for or against the motion.
Debate:

Respected Chairperson, Honourable Members of the Jury and my worthy opponents. Good morning to you all.

Today I, Meera, stand before you to speak for the motion. Having more and more money is the tendency inherent in every person in India. Most often we migrate to other countries either to study further or earn money. In this regard, I can firmly say that intelligent people drifting away abroad to find better opportunities is definitely not a boon for India.

The developing India has become a hub  for IT industries. Cities like Hyderabad, Bangalore, Chennai and Gurgaon are providing ample opportunities  to the deserving people with good salary packages.

With so many lucrative opportunities  presented in a platter, Indians must consider staying and working in India and help it progress faster.

One of the biggest reasons why brain drain is not good for developing countries, such as India is that it benefits the foreign countries. Besides loss of talent, it is also a national loss because of expenses incurred on a brilliant student’s education. Whenever the retrenchment starts in foreign countries, the Indians are at the forefront. They also treat us as second rate citizens. Therefore, foreign jobs may pay a lot of money but there is not always respect in them.

In conclusion, in a country like India, where cultural values are of utmost  importance,  Brain Drain sometimes also leads to the erosion of same cultural values. Needless to say, Brain Drain is a bane for developing countries.

Thank you.