2021 All JCs Prelim Paper 1

ACJC
1. Is there any point in pursuing democracy today?
2. ‘Happiness is in your own hands, not in those of others around you.’ Discuss.
3. Is change to be welcomed or feared in your society?
4. Given increasing tensions in today’s world, how acceptable is it for countries to develop nuclear weapons?
5. Can breaches of human rights ever be justified?
6. ‘Integrity is doing the right thing even when no one is watching.’ Is integrity more important than ever?
7. Is marriage overrated in your society?
8. ‘Life imitates art far more than art imitates life.’ How far do you agree that art shapes reality more than it reflects
reality?
9. To what extent does international cooperation improve citizens’ quality of life?
10. Consider the view that celebrities are overpaid.
11. Discuss the view that all countries have an equal responsibility to combat climate change.
12. To what extent should disadvantaged groups be given preferential treatment?

ASRJC
1. To what extent has sport made a positive impact in the fight for gender equality?
2. “Recycling is over-rated which does little to help the problem of waste.” How true is this of your society?
3. Can the breaking of promises ever be justified?
4. The increased level of surveillance today has made the world a safer place to live in. How far do you agree?
5. Without rebellion, there can be no meaningful change. Discuss.
6. We have placed too much faith in science and technology to solve global problems. How far do you agree?
7. How far can technology help to preserve heritage today?
8. The fight for human rights has led to more oppression than freedom. What is your view?
9. The high expenditure on education today is unjustifiable. Discuss.
10. To what extent should the needs of young people be prioritised in your society?
11. Consider the view that globalisation has harmed rather than improved international relations today.
12. Tourism benefits only a few at the expense of many. Comment.

CJC
1. 'Society cannot progress without sacrifice.' Discuss.
2. 'We have become slaves to convenience.' Is this true of your society today?
3. How far should a government have the right to restrict the freedom of its citizens?
4. 'Music plays a critical role in the development of a society's cultural identity.' What is your view?
5. 'Given that the future is volatile, there is little benefit in planning for it.' Comment.
6. ‘'A society in which no one is left behind.' To what extent is this an achievable goal for your society?
7. 'E-sports is just entertainment, not sport.' How far do you agree?
8. 'Politicians often promise more than they can deliver.' What is your view?
9. Consider the view that sustainable development can only be pursued by affluent countries.
10. How far do you agree that young people are ignored when decisions affecting them are made?
11. How important is tolerance in today's society?
12. 'The adoption of online trade has made traditional businesses irrelevant in this digital age.' How far is this true of
your society?

DHS
1. ‘The rich and powerful can get away with anything.’ How far is this true?
2. Should censorship of the media be entirely the responsibility of the government?
3. Examine the claim that small countries are more successful at achieving prosperity than big countries.
4. ‘The Arts must be controversial in order to be meaningful.’ What are your views?
5. Consider the view that urban living is exciting, but detrimental to one’s health.
6. ‘Climate change hurts poor people the most.’ Discuss.
7. To what extent are political leaders treated unfairly by the media?
8. ‘Only those with something to hide are concerned about losing their privacy.’ Discuss.
9. To what extent is racial harmony a reality in your society?
10. ‘Our faith in technology to solve all our problems is misplaced.’ Comment.
11. Should being gracious still be encouraged in your society?
12. ‘To truly understand a culture, learn its language.’ Do you agree?

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EJC
1. Is the modern world becoming a more charitable place to live in?
2. ‘Too much pressure is placed on government leaders to solve the problems of their people.’ How far do you
agree?
3. ‘While environmental sustainability is desirable, it is an unachievable goal.’ Discuss.
4. Should the study of literature be made compulsory in schools?
5. Can space travel be justified when there are such pressing issues in the world today?
6. Consider the importance of nature in your society.
7. ‘Given the cost of conflict, it should always be avoided.’ Discuss.
8. ‘As countries pursue development, heritage sites are losing their relevance.’ How far do you agree?
9. Consider the view that more scientists than artists are needed in the world today.
10. Is complete self-sufficiency in countries ever possible?
11. Examine the view that journalists should only report the facts and not share their opinions.
12. To what extent is obedience valued in your society?

HCI
1. ‘It is important for young people to have a good understanding of the history of their own country.’ Discuss.
2. Do you agree that every country must seek to be self-sufficient at all costs?
3. Is there a need to redefine the notion of success in your society?
4. Should we worry that social media has become young people’s window to the world?
5. ‘Instead of expecting governments to solve environmental problems, we should look for solutions on our own.’ Do
you agree?
6. Is compassion necessarily desirable?
7. Should everyone be treated equally all the time?
8. ‘The direction in which parents start a child will determine his future life.’ How much influence do parents have
over their children’s future?
9. How forgiving should we be of leaders who fail to live up to our expectations?
10. ‘Richer but unhappier.’ Is this an accurate description of your society?
11. To what extent are countries able to effectively overcome online threats?
12. ‘There is nothing that we cannot accomplish as long as we work together.’ Comment.

JPJC
1. ‘Activism today is all bark but no bite.’ Do you agree?
2. Examine the view that our society is obsessed with perfection.
3. Is diplomacy effective in addressing global concerns?
4. ‘It is meaningless for education to impose common standards when we are all made different.’ Comment.
5. To what extent is reducing reliance on foreigners a realistic goal for your society?
6. How far is parenting today more burdensome than before?
7. Is it true that the digital age leaves no one behind?
8. How far can global health threats be resolved?
9. ‘It is impossible to ensure fair rights for all workers.’ Is this a fair comment?
10. Consider the value of comics.
11. ‘An arts education is a necessity.’ How true is this in your society?
12. Examine the claim that it is pointless to share diverse views when we take offence easily.

MI
1. To what extent is greater diversity in society desirable?
2. Does advancement in modern science truly bring progress for the world?
3. ‘The beauty of the arts lies in its exposure of the ugly.’ Discuss.
4. Consider the view that having access to more information makes us more ignorant.
5. ‘The prioritisation of national interests inevitably harms global interests.’ Is this a fair comment?
6. How effectively are environmental concerns in your society addressed?
7. ‘In a world where problems prevail, no one should be a bystander.’ Do you agree?
8. Are schools still relevant today?
9. Can businesses be socially responsible when profit is their ultimate goal?
10. How far are the elderly seen as an asset in your society?
11. To what extent are public figures today persecuted rather than celebrated?
12. Is health more important than wealth?

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NJC
1. ‘Young people today lack resilience.’ To what extent is this a fair viewpoint?
‘We should focus more on our similarities than our differences.’ To what extent do you agree?
2. ‘In today’s digitalised world, technology completely defines who we are.’ Discuss.
3. People are not preparing sufficiently for old age.’ To what extent do you think this is true in your society?
4. ‘Politicians should be viewed with suspicion.’ To what extent do you agree?
5. ‘Fashion merely serves superficial purposes.’ Is this a fair comment?
6. ‘Our current lifestyles are environmentally unsustainable.’ How far is this true?
7. Consider the view that literature is more meaningful when it reflects life.
8. ‘Graciousness is a lost virtue.’ How true is this of your society?
9. Examine the view that the strengths of social media are also its weaknesses.
10. Is winning always desirable?
11. ‘It is persuasion, not intimidation, that changes the world for the better.’ Discuss.

NYJC
1. Should a country be run like a business?
2. ‘Not enough attention is given to ensure that our use of language does not offend.’ Do you agree?
3. Should your society safeguard against future shocks or focus on the now?
4. Do you agree that the police have too much power today?
5. ‘Fashion is always frivolous.’ What is your view?
6. ‘The lack of trust in science today is unwarranted.’ Do you agree?
7. To what extent can the regulation of technology companies be justified?
8. ‘Lifelong learning is possible and should be encouraged for everyone.’ Consider whether this is true in your
society.
9. Do we still have a use for the workplace?
10. ‘Celebrities have no business in politics.’ What is your view?
11. ‘People should have absolute authority over their own body.’ Discuss.
12. Do you agree that public good, not profit, should be the focus of the media?

RI
1. How far is an overseas education a necessity for young people in your society?
2. Should individual rights and freedom be protected at all costs?
3. Is it fair to say that investment in space exploration is a total waste of resources?
4. ‘The arts ask questions while the sciences provide answers.’ How valid is this view?
5. Should we be concerned with the ethics of medical research when doing so will limit its effectiveness?
6. How far do you agree that good governance is key to the protection of the environment?
7. ‘There is no value in believing in something unless it can be scientifically proven.’ How far is this true?
8. ‘Art is only worth what people will pay for it.’ Do you agree?
9. Is modern technology a benefit or threat to our safety?
10. Have our efforts to address discrimination made us overly sensitive? Discuss this in relation to your society.
11. Should the state intervene in matters relating to one’s body?
12. ‘Social activism today has done more harm than good.’ How fair is this assessment?

RVHS
1. Can charity be truly altruistic?
2. To what extent should contentious issues be discussed in your society?
3. ‘As science advances, the importance of the arts and humanities declines.’ Is this an accurate claim today?
4. ‘A preoccupation with speed is the curse of modern life.’ Discuss.
5. How far has modern technology empowered individual freedom in your society?
6. Considering a growing human population, should large tracts of land be devoted to the conservation of plant and
animal species?
7. To what extent are athletes at major sporting events competing on a level playing field?
8. ‘We now live in an age of individualism, where communal values have been sidelined.’ How far is this statement
true of modern society?
9. Are recent changes to the workplace for the better or the worse?
10. ‘Governments should not interfere in the running of big businesses.’ Comment.
11. Consider the importance of personalisation in the world today.
12. To what extent is the movement of people across borders desirable?

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SAJC
1. ‘Graciousness has diminished in importance.’ Is this true in your society?
2. ‘Politics and religion should remain separate.’ Comment.
3. ‘Fear is no longer a deterrence.’ How far is this true?
4. How integral are the arts to a country’s identity?
5. ‘Women, more so than men, are hindered by traditions.’ Comment.
6. ‘Rather than empower our lives, technology has handicapped us.’ Discuss.
7. How far are the needs of the minorities being met today?
8. ‘Those with knowledge are not always wise.’ Do you agree?
9. How far have we adequately prepared the elderly to face the challenges of the modern world? To what extent is
your society doing enough to combat the risks of climate change?
10. Examine the view that humour trivialises important issues.
11. ‘In times of crisis, governments should aim for compliance rather than consensus.’ Discuss.

TJC
1. ‘All spectacle and little substance.’ Is this a fair assessment of the arts?
2. Are societies with ageing populations always at a disadvantage?
3. 'Mental health is just as important as physical health.’ Is this true of your society?
4. How far is technology the solution to food waste?
5. Do we need to worry about entertainment in the media today?
6. To what extent is education in your society keeping up with the changing nature of work?
7. ‘Governments should never hide the truth from their people.’ Do you agree?
8. Consider the view that people no longer have much faith in science.
9. Does the value of spectator sport lie solely in its ability to entertain?
10. Should conflict always be avoided?
11. ‘People just do not know how to have fun.’ How true is this of your society?
12. ‘We do not need reminders of the past since the past is best forgotten.’ Do you agree?

VJC
1. ‘Small countries are always disadvantaged compared to large countries.’ Comment.
2. Is modern technology the best solution to climate change?
3. To what extent is it accurate to describe the world today as a disrupted one?
4. Examine the view that the government should care only for the weak in your society.
5. Should criminals always be given a second chance?
6. ‘Just as social media shapes the young, so do the young shape social media.’ To what extent is this true?
7. Should the rights of individuals be more important than the interests of their society today?
8. Do major sporting events really bring people together?
9. How far do you agree that where one is born determines one’s future?
10. ‘With the rise of the Internet, books have lost their value.’ What do you think?
11. ‘People today need to be more resilient than ever before.’ How true is this of your society?
12. ‘In a world where instant success is celebrated, hard work is no longer important.’ Is this a fair comment?

YIJC
1. ‘A voice for all’. Consider whether this is a desirable goal in your society.
2. 'We are powerless against multinational companies'. How far do you agree?
3. Can limitations on scientific research be justified nowadays?
4. Should a leader always be democratically elected?
5. Discuss the view that, in today’s world, the arts are only for the elite.
6. 'National interests should always come before the interests of the individual.' Discuss.
7. 'People should have full control over decisions affecting their own bodies.' What is your view?
8. Has city life lost its appeal?
9. To what extent should decisions in your society be guided by outcomes rather than ideals?
10. Do rituals and ceremonies still have a place in your society?
11. Examine the view that, the more technology advances, the more the environment suffers.
12. 'Education offers better job prospects, but not success.' How far is this true in today's world?