The STANAG 6001 speaking exam level 3 TASK TWO, or the so called discussion, can mean discussing ad hoc various topics.

One of the subject areas which appears more and more often now in the exam are "European issues", involving all sorts of questions related to the European Union. 

If you need more information about this TASK in general and some other examples, here are some useful links:

STANAG 6001 LEVEL 3 DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION USEFUL PHRASES

SAMPLE DISCUSSION

DISCUSSION TOPICS TOURISM

DISCUSSION TOPICS - CITY VERSUS COUNTRY

The exam topic for today's discussion is the following. It's been inspired by one of the questions published most recently by the Central Examination Board of Foreign Languages of the PAF on their website: www.wsnjo.wp.mil.pl.

European issues
Europe has faced a number of problems recently. Look at the list below. Discuss the following problems and try to agree which is the most and the least serious. Be ready to justify your choice.

                                                          TERRORIST ATTACKS                REFUGEES                BREXIT

Before we think of arguments for a discussion like this, it is a good idea to decide about what angle we'd like to discuss the problem from. In this case, what is a good point of departure are consequences of such problems as well as how serious they are and for whom. 

Another crucial point for a topic like this one, which is political in its nature, is in my opinion, the necessity to maintain political neutrality. Try to avoid voicing your strong beliefs and be ready to present neutral, objective arguments instead of opinions.

Let's have a look at possible arguments to be used in such a discussion.

      TERRORIST ATTACKS

• UNPREDICTABLE, UNEXPECTED

• CAUSE ANXIETY AND FEAR AMONG CITIZENS

• DANGEROUS, DEADLY

• LIFE THREATENING

• AFFECT REGULAR CITIZENS

• DISTURB NORMAL LIFE

• LEAD TO SOCIAL TENSIONS

• CAUSE XENOPHOBIA OR RACISM

• DESTABILIZE A STATE

      REFUGEES

• UNCONTROLLED and MASSIVE PHENOMENON

• CAUSE SOCIAL TENSIONS e.g. ABOUT JOBS

• CULTURAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS

• USED AS POLITICAL LEVERAGE

• CONSTITUTE A LOGISTIC AND SYSTEM CHALLENGE FOR STATES

       BREXIT

• UNCERTAINTY RELATED TO TRADE

• UNCERTAINTY ABOUT ECONOMIC CONSEQUENCES (the EU would lose its second-largest economy, the country with the third-largest population and "the financial capital of the world")

• SITUATION OF EXPATS (FOREIGN CITIZENS LIVING AND WORKING IN THE UK)

• CONSEQUENCES FOR THE EUROPEAN BUDGET (the EU would lose its second-largest net contributor to the EU budget, after Germany, which can result in an additional financial burden for the remaining net contributors).

If you have ideas for additional arguments related to this subject or would like to discuss any of the above, feel free to leave a comment below (at the bottom of the page).