Topic: Contributing to Society

Topic: Contributing to Society

Understanding the Topic

  • Understanding the concept: “Contributing to Society” meaning - this topic focuses on how individuals and groups can have a positive effect in their local and wider communities. In Spanish, the term is “Contribuir a la sociedad”.
  • Key vocabulary needed to express ideas about this topic:
    • volunteario (volunteer), la comunidad (the community), la sociedad (the society), contribuir (to contribute), donación (donation), reciclaje (recycling), protección del medio ambiente (environment protection), trabajo comunitario (community service).

Personal Experiences and Benefits

  • Discussing personal experiences of contributing to society: Practice writing and speaking about any volunteer work or charity events you’ve been involved in. For example: “He trabajado como voluntario en una tienda de caridad” (I have volunteered in a charity shop).
  • Discussing the benefits of contributing to society: It’s also useful to express opinions on the benefits and importance of this. For instance: “Creo que el trabajo comunitario es importante porque ayuda a mejorar la calidad de vida en nuestro vecindario” (I believe that community service is important because it helps to improve quality of life in our neighbourhood).

Wider Implications

  • The wider implications: Discussing how these contributions can benefit not only local, but also national and global communities. Example sentence: “La protección del medio ambiente no solo beneficia a nuestra comunidad local, sino que también tiene un impacto positivo en el mundo” (Protecting the environment not only benefits our local community, but also has a positive impact on the world).

Abstract Thinking and Debating

  • Finding a stance: Consider formulating your own opinion on the topic, for instance about the role government should play in encouraging societal contributions, or about the social responsibilities of individuals and corporate entities.
  • Debating the issues: Be prepared to debate and discuss your ideas with others. This could involve exploring whether you believe enough is being done at a local or national level, or discussing what more could be done.

Language Focus

  • Emphasis on the verbs: Key verbs for this topic area tend to demonstrate action, such as ayudar (to help), apoyar (to support), mejorar (to improve) and proteger (to protect).
  • Diversifying your tense: Practice speaking and writing about both past contributions and future plans, using a variety of tenses.