BMAT SECTION 1

1. Health experts have long since urged people to do cardiovascular exercise to keep the heart functioning well. The general recommendation is to exercise at an elevated heart rate for at least 150 minutes a week in periods of at least 10 minutes. Recently, experts have also started emphasising the role of non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT), which occurs through movement like rising from the chair a few times an hour when spending all day at a desk. NEAT helps to maintain the body’s ability to burn calories efficiently. The newest focus in today’s ageing societies is on encouraging people to also add on some strength training. Keeping muscles strong helps people maintain their ability to function in daily life and lessens symptoms of many age-related illnesses.

• Today’s health experts give conflicting advice on exercise.

• Different kinds of exercise help the body in different but important ways.

• Lifestyle changes mean that older people today are not as physically strong as those in previous generations.

• Cardiovascular function and the ability to burn calories are not as important as

  strength in lessening age-related disease.

• Health experts doubt the ability or willingness of office workers to follow

  cardiovascular exercise programmes.

Genuine apologies are an expression of regret and repentance on the part of the person who has acted wrongly. However, in some recent cases government ministers have apologised for unjust policies of previous governments, in which they personally played no part; some of these actions occurred before the person apologising was even born. Apologies for offensive comments or language are sometimes expressed in terms which suggest that the fault lies with those who are offended: ‘I am sorry if anyone was offended by what I said.’ Some people – especially children – apologise because they are being forced to do so by someone in a position of power over them, such as a parent.

• It can be appropriate for someone to apologise even if they did nothing wrong.

• Governments are deemed to have a continuing identity, despite changes in personnel.

• People should apologise if what they say causes offence.

• Some apparent apologies are not genuine.

• You can forgive somebody only if they give a sincere apology.

The plethora of house-buying and relocation programmes on television these days may well stimulate an interest in lovely properties, but they are a bad thing because at the same time they make viewers who could never afford the houses shown feel both envious and worthless.

• People who watch house-buying programmes do not tend to have nice houses

  themselves.

• Seeing others enjoy luxuries that they have not got can motivate people to work harder to earn enough to support the same lifestyle.

• The public thinks a celebrity lifestyle must be great, but most celebrities are constantly worried about dropping out of the public eye.

• It is said that renting property is throwing money away, but so much of what one pays monthly on a mortgage goes on interest anyway that many people find it better to rent rather than buy.

• Magazines that show images of men and women who seem perfect are largely to blame for our discontent and for the increase in eating disorders among young people.

What is the point of science? It can be seen as purely a quest for knowledge: to satisfy our simple human desire to know, to discover the truth, because the truth is valuable in itself. Or it can be seen as a way of improving things, of making life and the world better for human beings, and perhaps also for animals or the environment itself. Of course, the natural, and probably the best, answer is to say that it is both of these things at once. But the important implication here is that, since both of these are worthy goals, then any scientific achievements ought to be welcomed.

• It assumes that scientific research will always lead to scientific progress.

• It fails to recognise that what makes the world better for humans may not be the same for animals.

• It confuses advances in scientific research with improvements in quality of life.

• It fails to recognise that progress in science frequently involves proving existing theories to be false.

• It assumes that if the intentions behind an action are good then the outcome will be

The government should be active in promoting marriage. Notwithstanding bad marriages, research shows that married adults are happier, have better health, are less likely to be involved in crime, and enjoy many other advantages related to their personal welfare and the welfare of their family. Research also shows that children are most likely to flourish in the married-couple family. Marriage rates are declining and non-marital birth rates are rocketing, taking a toll on the nation’s welfare. Government promotion of marriage is not only justified but also necessary.

• People are strongly against government promotion of marriage.

• The government has a right to influence the family arrangements of its citizens.

• Promotion of marriage is the most important endeavour for the government.

• The government is already involved in the promotion of marriage.

• The nation’s welfare problems would be resolved if more people raised children within a marriage.