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Topics to go

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Why you can trust SCMP
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Topics and more

The most important thing about a debate is the motion. You should choose a topic that will interest everyone taking part. Some people attend a debate to listen and some to speak. Listening is as important as speaking in a successful debate. If your motion is boring, no one will want to take part.

Once the topic has been chosen, the four speakers must construct what they have to say very carefully and precisely. A messy debate is a bad debate.

Check out the Nesta SCMP debate reports in Young Post and on our website. Catch the debate report in tomorrow's edition. Go to www.yp.scmp.com to find the news report and the podcast of the latest debates.

Topics for debate

Here are a few ideas to keep in mind when you choose a topic for debate. First of all, complete each sentence with one of the words in brackets, and then decide which ideas are good ones and which are not.

1 A debating topic should be (negative / challenging) and it should make people (think / yawn).

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