cindermond/bento huggingface dataset:
What is the debate topic for the following sentences?

1. For example , financial support and security makes it easier to take risks which may be economically beneficial , such as setting up a new business , or undergoing further education to improve employment prospects .
2. The status quo discourages interdependence : the absence of property rights under the status quo encourages unmarried couples to act as individuals , protecting their own financial interests , rather than supporting each other .
3. In UK law , their relationship with one another is not recognised as having any legal standing , and they have no special status in the eyes of the English legal system Individuals are usually more able to pursue their own ambitions when they have the support of another .

This House would allow cohabiting couples who wish to end their relationships to request that the courts supervise the division of their property
Sentences: 1. As such , handguns , where they are freely available , are often used by most criminals for these purposes .
2. Given that handguns are also more likely to cause accidental injuries - as a result of incompetence or recklessness - than a knife , it seems logical that handguns cause a much larger harm to citizens in places where they are freely available .
3. Because of these unique capabilities they make excellent weapons for gang members who wish to remain inconspicuous to avoid being searched by the police .
4. Further , they are also uniquely useful for other criminal actors such as drug dealers who need to be able to protect themselves , but also need to appear unassuming for clients .
5. Shotguns and Rifles can easily be identified from a long distance making it easier to avoid those who are carrying them or conversely for the authorities check their motives for carrying arms .
6. Handguns , being ranged weapons -LRB- as opposed to knives -RRB- , prevent people from opting to run away if they are confronted by an attacker and being concealable prevent any attempt at avoiding those carrying them .
7. Handguns are specifically worse than most other weapons .
8. They are weapons which are both concealable and portable .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Handguns are uniquely dangerous when compared with other weapons
What claim can be made from the following pieces of evidence?

1. Al this could be lost through the careless extinction of plant and animal species .
2. This was the case with the -LRB- now banned -RRB- dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane -LRB- DDT -RRB- pesticide , as the deterioration of the bald eagle and the peregrine falcon through their exposure to DDT in fact alerted humans to the potential health hazards of this pesticide , not just to animals but also to humans .
3. Thus the preservation of endangered species helps to protect humans , as this means plants and animals continue to play their specific role in the world 's ecosystem which humans rely on , can act as an ` early warning ' for problems which may affect humans , and may hold the key to scientific and medical breakthroughs which can greatly benefit humanity .
4. We live in a world built on a carefully balanced ecosystem in which all species play a role , and the removal of species from this can cause negative consequences for the whole ecosystem , including humans .
5. There is also the potential for almost any species to hold currently-unknown future benefits to humans through products they could provide .
6. Protecting endangered species helps protect humans : Humans actually benefit in a large number of ways from the protection of endangered species and thus continuing biodiversity .
7. Firstly , the diversity of life and living systems is considered by many scientists to be a necessary condition for human development .
8. One example of this is the Pacific yew -LRB- a tree species -RRB- which became the source of taxol , one of the most potent anticancer compounds ever discovered .
9. Biodiversity also helps protect humans in that different species ' differing reactions to ecological problems may in fact act as a kind of ` early warning ' system of developing problems which may one day negatively affect people .
10. One example of this is the scrub mint , an endangered plant species which has been found to contain an anti-fungal agent and a natural insecticide , and thus holds great potential for use that benefits humans .

Protecting endangered species protects the interests of humans
Sentences: 1. Hs2 , facts , figures and journey times ,
2. While faster journeys provide some economic benefit the are as much a social benefit of making more places accessible by allowing individuals to spend less time traveling and more doing what they want to when they get there .
3. From London the journey to Birmingham will be reduced from 84 to 49 minutes , Leeds from 132 to 82 and Manchester 128 to 68 .
4. The most obvious benefit from high speed rail is that journey times will be less .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Faster travel between British cities
What claim can be made from the following pieces of evidence?

1. Turkey has been heading towards being a one party , even a one person , state .
2. Erdoan is intending to change the constitution is an attempt to institutionalise this .
3. His new presidency would have the power to issue decrees with force of law , dissolve parliament and call elections , and to command the military .
4. The attempt to change to a presidential system is clearly a move to enable Erdoan to avoid the limit of three terms in much the same way as Vladimir Putin did by switching jobs .
5. A presidential system is not bad in principle but it should not be simply used as a vehicle for a particular politician .
6. Moreover any change of such a magnitude in a democratic country should be done only with popular consent something that this change does not have .
7. In a February 2013 poll 65.8 % of Turks favoured keeping the parliamentary system and only 21.2 % were in favour of a change to a presidential system .
8. The Editors , Erdogan Shows Why Turkey Shouldnt Give Him More Power , , 3 June 2013 , Majority of Turks against switch to presidential system , survey reveals , , 19 February 2013 ,

Attempts to change into an executive presidential system
1. The President of Vanuatu has noted If such a tragedy -LSB- the disappearance of a state -RSB- should happen , then the United Nations and its members will have failed in their first and most basic duty to a Member and its innocent people , as stated in Article 1 of the Charter of the United Nations .
2. As long ago as 1992 developed nations accepted the responsibility that they bear in the international pursuit to sustainable development in view of the pressures their societies place on the global environment and of the technologies and financial resources they command and that polluter should , in principle , bear the cost of pollution .
3. There is also a Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness in which article 10 demands that any redrawing of borders must not render a person stateless , the principle behind which would equally apply to a disappearing state .
4. The small island states are losing their countries through no fault of their own it is therefore the responsibility of other states to provide them with alternatives ; be this land or the resources to purchase land .
5. McAdam , Disappearing states , statelessness and the boundaries of international law , , 2010 , , p. 4 The United Nations Conference on Environment and Development , Rio Declaration on Environment and Development , , 14 June 1992 , United Nations , Convention on the Reduction of Statelessness , , 1961 ,

What is the general argument implied by these sentences?

Other nations have an obligation to help
This House would force the media to display, promote and report womens sport equally to mens sport.
What is a possible side to this debate?

Increased media coverage will lead to increased funding towards women’s sport
What debate topic are the following sentences about?

1. Poachers are only going to be further encouraged to disregard the trading ban , whatever the costs .
2. Legitimate , regulated sales would undercut the illegal market and drive the poachers out of business , ensuring elephant populations are protected and remain stable .
3. A trading ban does not choke off demand for the ivory , but instead raises the price to exorbitant levels , encouraging poaching .
4. Demand since 1989 has been depressed by Japan 's economic problems , from which it is now emerging , while in China ivory is associated with prosperity and is a status symbol ; as the number of wealthy Chinese increases , so too is the demand and price of ivory .

This house Would Lift the Ban on Ivory Trading
What claim can be made from the following pieces of evidence?

1. In addition , there is more likely to be a person staying at home , which saves on childcare .
2. While it will not always be the case there are many ways in which living in groups can be more economical .
3. For example , it is cheaper to cook in large quantities than if each person were cooking individually .
4. Similarly , additional people in the house wont need another kitchen or necessarily another bathroom , so therefore its cheaper to live in groups particularly groups with multiple incomes .
5. More providers can make great contributions to the home .
6. It makes the family unit more efficient , as more people can pursue careers and bring in money , but due to economies of scale , less additional money will be needed for each additional partner .

Polygamy makes having a family easier
Sentences: 1. By forcing them to disclose , any corruption or bias will become obvious to all .
2. Mayer , Jane .
3. Think tanks are considered more credible than corporate marketing .
4. In the case of corporate marketing the recipient is aware that he is being sold a product .
5. In the case of think tanks , the recipient believes he is being given unbiased information .
6. Therefore , it is tempting for corporations to finance think tanks and encourage them to reach the conclusions that they otherwise would promote through marketing .
7. This way , think tanks can be powerful tools for promoting a biased agenda : if done successfully the same message is communicated but in the form of credible information rather than manipulative marketing .
8. In fact , it is common practice for journalists to quote think tanks without labelling their political bias .
9. And they most certainly dont say if there is funding from a particular interest for example with the supposedly free market Institute of Public Affairs in Australia that somehow ends up arguing for government investment and intervention in Northern Australia a position suspiciously close to several big mining companies .
10. This violates peoples freedom to make an informed decision , and can give biased views disproportionate and undue influence .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Think tanks’ power of objectivity is the best form of marketing for biased views
What debate topic are the following sentences about?

1. Bringing South Africa and Lesotho will benefit SA on the global stage .
2. The move would be one to provide aid to a smaller state and provide stability .
3. The dire conditions for the Basotho people are acknowledged by the UN and the Africa Union .
4. Firstly , SA , by the annexation of Lesotho , will prove good intentions in creating a sustainable Sub-Saharan Africa .
5. This will ultimately create a better image and a greater influence in the region if they choose to respond positively to the Peoples Charter Movement in Lesotho , a social structure pleading for annexation .
6. The movement , driven by trade unions , has collected 30,000 signatures in favor of their goal and is rising in popularity .
7. Secondly the annexation will provide a boost for the South African Development Community and South African Customs Union by demonstrating the willingness of South Africa to integrate with poorer neighbours and take on some of the responsibility for them .
8. Smith , 2010 ,

This House believes Lesotho should be annexed by South Africa
Sentences: 1. Others committing equivalent or lesser crimes , without these special circumstances , may be imprisoned .
2. Many people who commit serious crimes are not sent to prison because of their age , the effects upon their dependents or the likelihood that they will not re-offend .
3. As the Australian Democrats argue , ` to deny -LSB- the right to vote -RSB- is to impose an additional penalty on top of that judged appropriate by the court ' .
4. Even if it were ever right to deprive people of the vote as a punishment , this should not automatically be associated with imprisonment , but should be decided separately , as in France and Germany .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Linking a ban on voting to imprisonment is arbitrary and therefore wrong
What claim can be made from the following pieces of evidence?

1. Second , it assumes that the answer to every local problem or issue is for the federal government to raise yet more tax revenue and bestow it from on high because Washington-knows-best .
2. It is a symbol that makes it hard to resist spending both for politicians and their constituents .
3. The use of earmarks erodes trust in politicians and the federal government for two reasons .
4. First , it reinforces a belief that politicians ignore the wider national interest but are simply out for themselves , scrabbling to channel as much federal pork as possible back home in order to aggrandise themselves and ensure re-election .

Earmarks erode trust in the government
1. It appears on every seal of public office , is flown outside every public building and a flag-shaped pin is worn upon the breast of virtually every public figure .
2. It has become an endemic fixture in American culture and has come to be seen by people all over the United States , and the world , as a representation of the spirit and identity of nation .
3. When destroying the flag of the United States it is the values of the United States that are under attack .
4. Since the birth of the nation the flag of the United States , the eponymous `` Star-Spangled Banner '' , has been flown proudly in all parts of the country .
5. Texas v. Johnson : The Flag Burning Case .
6. Berkeley Heights : Enslow Publishers .
7. The flag has been imbued with a special significance by the citizens of the United States , and is viewed almost universally with extensive reverence .
8. It has come to be seen as emblematic of all the values and virtues of American society .
9. In a way it is the physical sublimation of those values ; at least that is how it is often treated .
10. For this reason , to destroy the flag is to destroy the values they represent , and thus the flag must be protected in order to protect the values of the nation the flag represents .

What is the general argument implied by these sentences?

The flag of the United States is its primary symbol of nationhood, with a unique importance in the eyes of most Americans, and thus should be protected
This House believes forced evictions are necessary for African cities to become global players.
What argument could one make about this debate topic?

Forced evictions pave the road for African cities to set a trend towards Eco-Cities.
Claim: Local cuisine deserves to be celebrated
What evidence supports this claim?

1. By treating the whole world as our larder we have gained an enormous choice of foods , but at the cost of our own culinary heritage and folk traditions .
2. This can cause problems as for example with local varieties of rice in Africa being lost due to competition from cheaper rice producers like Thailand .
3. Shopping for local produce is also part of a wider movement to rediscover and celebrate local food cultures .
4. The Slow Food movement emphasises the cultural importance of local cuisines based upon the range of foods that are available within a particular region .
5. Local food restores this connection with the rhythm of the seasons , and connects us to the land around us and to our ancestors who helped to shape it .
6. Each individual cuisine deserves to be preserved and encouraged .
7. We have also lost a sense of seasonality , expecting asparagus and strawberries all year round .
1. The Government must protect its citizens from foreign enemies and internal enemies - thus freedom of speech can be acceptably curtailed during times of war in order to prevent propaganda and spying which might undermine the national interest .
2. This has happened in almost all states during times of war , during the second world war the United States even had a government department dedicated to it ; The Office of Censorship .

What is the general argument implied by these sentences?

It may be necessary in the interests of national security
Sentences: 1. Allowing a disproportionate influence to past leaders and those they have selected inevitably discourages new ideas and new voices .
2. The decision in a democracy over the governance of the country or the leadership of the party should be determined by the populous or the members .
3. Younge , Gary , Its up to the superdelegates to prove Democrats believe in democracy , , 18 February 2008
4. The situation in which the superdelegates would be most likely to act were as the result of the membership of the party selecting someone from outside the political class or their friends in business .
5. The influence of superdelegates acts as a vehicle for an elite that needs little help .
6. There is no reason that this decision should not be left to the members , it is after their party and they should be represented by whosoever they see fit .
7. It was worried that this might happen in 1998 in the close primary contest between Clinton and Obama .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

The disproportionate influence of former politicians inevitably benefits old, powerful, white men
Curfews also have an important role in the protection of vulnerable children.
Come up with some evidence to support this claim.

1. Society should ensure that such neglected children are returned home safely and that their parents are made to face up to their responsibilities .
2. Sir Ian Blair former chief commissioner of the Metropolitan police argued that curfews were aimed at safeguarding youngsters and stopping gangs causing trouble .
3. Although responsible parents do not let young children out in the streets after dark , not all parents are responsible and inevitably their children suffer , both from crime and in accidents , and are likely to fall into bad habits .
4. The use of child curfews can help to protect vulnerable children .
5. 1 .
Sentences: 1. Being unable to exercise this right should not depend on income , so the state must financially assist couples who are unable to afford treatment .
2. And even if we believe this right is not basic , and more a choice of a lifestyle , if the state has the possibility to ensure it to everyone , why not maximize rights and make as many people happy as possible .
3. Couples who are unable to have children naturally , either because of medical infertility or because they are a same-sex couple , are unable to conceive children unless they are wealthy enough to afford private IVF treatment .
4. This may affect many people given the extremely high cost of IVF treatment .
5. The right to start a family is recognized in article 12 of the European Convention on Human Rights and article 16 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights .
6. However , this right is apportioned unevenly .
7. Having children is such an important aspect of most peoples lives that it should be considered a right .
8. For many people , their status as parents is a key part of their identity , and their devotion towards their children is indicative of how important parenting is to them .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Equalizing the right to parenthood.
What is the debate topic for the following sentences?

1. Child performers are exposed to a much higher level of responsibility than their peers , without the maturity to deal with it .
2. They may be exposed to sex , drugs , or alcohol , in a context too far removed from a normal life that they dont learn adequate coping mechanisms .
3. It is no surprise that many child performers burn out by the time they reach adulthood , often experiencing problems long before , as in the case of actress Drew Barrymore , who entered rehab at the age of 13 .
4. Children should not be encouraged to enter into these adult worlds of acting , modeling , dancing , etc. .
5. Michael Jackson attributed his obsession with children and childhood as a consequence of having missed out on a childhood himself .
6. Barrymore , Little Girl Lost

This House would ban child performers
What is the debate topic for the following sentences?

1. This causes a number of problems .
2. The current system of ` progressive ' taxation whereby higher earners are taxed a higher percentage of their income requires the identification and administration of multiple different tax brackets spanning the entire spectrum of earnings in a nation .
3. Moreover , the administration of multiple tax brackets is incredibly complicated and difficult , requiring every taxpayer to record their income and expenditure -LRB- in order to try and qualify for tax exemptions and ` loopholes ' -RRB- in meticulous detail and then to properly express this on lengthy and complicated government forms , a process which can cause anger , frustration and alienation amongst taxpayers .
4. The brackets themselves may be largely arbitrary cut-off lines based around round numbers , with no real justification as to why one person increasing their earnings by as little as 1000 should lead to them suddenly being propelled to a new tax bracket , when the actual difference to their income is negligible in overall terms .
5. This may be contrasted with a flat tax system by taking the example of taxes on salaries paid to employees by a company under both systems .
6. In order to try and prevent tax evasion , governments are consequently compelled to have large bureaucracies that oversee this process and comb through looking for fraud , a costly and lengthy process .
7. However , under a flat tax , a tax collector could simply withhold the fixed flat tax rate -LRB- for example 20 % -RRB- of the total company 's payroll without needing to know what was paid to whom , as every pound is taxed at the same rate and thus it does not matter what goes to whom .
8. In the status quo , a tax collector must be aware in detail of exactly what is being paid to whom in order to ensure that everyone declares their income truthfully , allowing them to be placed in the correct bracket .
9. Thus the simplicity of a flat tax is a significant advantage .
10. This would allow for a massive simplification of tax forms , and for the down-scaling of the costly government departments dedicated to administering the different tax brackets .

This House Would introduce a flat tax
Sentences: 1. A better principle is if governments today are unable or unwilling to perform the duty to protect their people from harm -LRB- including state-imposed harm -RRB- , then their claims to sovereignty lose their moral force and intervention becomes justified .
2. For example , Qaddafi of Libya was likening his citizens to cockroaches and rats , threatening to kill them house-by-house whilst speaking of his intent to indiscriminately attack the population of Benghazi .
3. As such , there was significant concern that violence would have devastating impacts on Libyan civilians .
4. The United Nations , in response , authorized NATO action .
5. We can no longer argue that sovereignty must be considered absolute .
6. Sovereignty was created as the means by which states justified the control of their territory to prevent foreign aggression .
7. Since the creation of the United Nations , sovereignty is no longer as necessary to protect states , as most wars are not about territorial acquisition .
8. Now it is primarily a barrier to the international community intervening when the state is abusing its own population .
9. Through unleashing state military assets to attack his own population , Qaddafi made it clear that he was not a fit leader .
10. The United Nations , as the representative of the international community , has the responsibility to protect those whose leaders have let them down .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Countries and governments have an obligation to protect human rights and defend their citizens from harm
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. World Bank Energy , Addressing the Electricity Access Gap , , June 2010 , p. 89 The World Bank , Energy The Facts , , 2013 , , SA-DRC pact paves way for Grand Inga , , 20 May 2013 , Pearce , Fred , Will Huge New Hydro Projects Bring Power to Africas People ?
2. , , 30 May 2013 ,
3. Children can not go to school The list of deprivation goes on .
4. Conveniently it is suggested that the Grand Inga will thus provide more than half of the continent with renewable energy at a low price , providing electricity to half a billion people so eliminating much of this electricity gap .
5. The world bank says lack of electricity affects human rights People can not access modern hospital services without electricity , or feel relief from sweltering heat .
6. Food can not be refrigerated and businesses can not function .
7. Only 29 % of Sub Saharan Africas population has access to electricity .
8. This has immense consequences not just for the economy as production and investment is constrained but also on society .

The dam would power Africa
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. The use of performance enhancing drugs is based on advances in science .
2. When new drugs and therapies are found , athletes turn to them and as a result are much of the time ahead of the anti-doping organizations , which need to develop methods of athlete testing whenever a new drug that is meant to be untraceable is created .
3. In 2008 it was a big shock when Riccardo Ricco -LRB- a cyclist -RRB- was caught using the performance-enhancing drug Mircera , which had been considered undetectable for a number of years .
4. The fact is that a ban of performance enhancing drugs enables mainly athletes from wealthy countries and teams that can afford the newest technology to go undetected , whilst others are disadvantaged -LRB- 1 -RRB- .
5. So because it gives an unfair advantage to the wealthy one who can pay for the undetectable drugs , we should legalize it .
6. for Undetectable New Drug Mircera at 2008 Tour de France , 07/18/2008 , , accessed 05/20/2011

Controlling, rather than ignoring, performance enhancing substances will improve competitive standards in sport
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. Since the offshore drilling industry creates jobs and tax revenue -- and can be executed without jeopardizing the environmentthen it is a viable option for investment and should be pursued .
2. It is estimated that the slow permit process for offshore drilling has cost the Gulf area 230,000 jobs and $ 44 billion including tax revenue .
3. For that reason , cutting jobs and turning away tax revenue needlessly can not be justified .
4. 2011 has proven to be one of the harshest American job markets since the 1970s .
5. Turning down an industry that could promote jobs and tax revenue is therefore unwise , particularly when there are ways to make it safe .
6. Having more money in the government 's coffers also never hurts considering that keeping a balanced budget is extremely difficult .
7. Even in prosperous economic times , providing jobs and stable growth should be at the forefront of policy maker 's minds .

The industry creates jobs and tax revenue.
What debate topic are the following sentences about?

1. The examples of Syria and Sudan prove the inability of the international community to intervene in crisis situations -LRB- 2 -RRB- -LRB- 3 -RRB- .
2. -LRB- 1 -RRB- Jihad in the Sahara , Jan 17th 2013 , -LRB- 2 -RRB- Genocide in Darfur , , 2013 , -LRB- 3 -RRB- Reuters , Syria Death Toll Tops 115,000 , Group Says , 1 October 2013 , -LRB- 4 -RRB- The number of armed conflicts increased strongly in 2011 , , 13 July 2013 , =
3. It is clear that Africa can not rely on the international community to solve its conflicts .
4. In order to be more independent , what the African Union needs is a standing army , which can intervene whenever there is a crisis .
5. First of all , when looking at statistics , having dipped in the 1990s the number of conflicts is growing once more , the most recent events of Mali and the Algeria serving as a perfect example -LRB- 1 -RRB- .
6. following a year -LRB- 2010 -RRB- that signalled hope for a more peaceful development , the number of conflicts increased by nearly 20 percent -LRB- 4 -RRB- .
7. This has served to demonstrate Africas need for a force to engage in peace keeping and peace making .
8. Despite the growing need for peacekeeping forces , there is reason to believe that the help coming from the international community will be insufficient .
9. The dysfunctional structure of the UNSC , the body which approves all major international interventions .
10. Russia and China , two countries which have a non interventionist approach on foreign policy , have veto power in this body ; which means a lot of possible interventions get vetoed .

This House would, as the African Union, create a standing army
Logging is often used as a political tool by corrupt governments
Come up with some evidence to support this claim.

1. For instance , in the 1980 ?
2. Governments in tropical countries often feel that exploitation of natural resources is an opportunity for economic gain .
3. In a more sinister example , logging was used by the Khmer Rouge to fund its civil war in Cambodia .
4. Governments then use the revenues gained from this deforestation for political gain , either through feeding some of it back into society or by providing the newly created land to landless migrants .
5. Even if corruption is not outright in terms of bribes , logging companies may seek concessions , low fees and taxes , or the waiving of international regulations in return for offering governments a percentage of the revenues from the sale of the wood .
6. Corruption often begins at high levels and continues all the way down the government hierarchy .
7. Frequently this involves collusion between the exploiters and government or the bribery of officials responsible for enforcement of conservation regulations or for the protection of reserves .
8. Deforestation is often used as a tool for leverage in politics .
9. This gives the government credibility as an economic force for good , though the sacrifice is sustainability and a condoning -LRB- even encouraging -RRB- of illegal logging .
10. s , Malaysia , Indonesia and The Philippines exported 85 million cubic meters of wood -LRB- 4 % of the global wood supply -RRB- , worth about $ 3 billion , which has since grown to be one of their main industries .
What debate topic are the following sentences about?

1. Lewis , 3 .
2. There is evidence to show that this alternative school system may benefit its students ; educators should not reject the opportunity without giving it a fair chance .
3. Gabriel , 2011
4. Only 12 percent of black fourth-grade boys are proficient in reading , compared with 38 percent of white boys , and only 12 percent of black eighth-grade boys are proficient in math , compared with 44 percent of white boys .
5. Despite almost sixty years of integration , black students lag behind whites , and the difference is even greater for males .
6. The idyllic image of integrated schools does not line up to reality ; black males are still at great risk for dropping out of school , being imprisoned and murdered at rates several times higher than young white men .
7. Figures that are not explained just by poverty .

This house supports the creation of single-race public schools
The British tabloid press has proved singularly incapable of regulating – or for that matter restraining – itself.
Come up with some evidence to support this claim.

1. The phone hacking scandal is simply a new low in the recent , tawdry life of the tabloid press .
2. As the Leveson Inquiry is discovering , the use of private detectives , bribing police officers , and trailing the children of celebrities all seem to be common tricks not just for the News of the World but for tabloid journalism as an industry .
3. Indeed , the journalist who broke the story for the Guardian admitted to the Levenson inquiry that he had hacked a phone on one occasion .
4. Despite the protestation of the Guardians editors that 99 percent of journalists wouldnt know how to hack a phone , such practices and a culture that invades privacy seems commonplace .
This House Would Get A Masters Degree.
What is a possible side to this debate?

A Master’s increases employability and gives graduates an added edge in the employment market
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. As a result they report what is both interesting and acceptable to those who consume the news and , for the vast majority of news outlets , the companies that advertise on the station , website or in the paper .
2. Doing so would arguably be patronizing and certainly be financial suicide .
3. Where there is no interest or , more frequently , an active lack of interest , news outlet do not - and should not impose a particular set of judgements or interests on their customers .
4. Ultimately all news outlets report that which is of interest to their viewers .
5. Pellot , Brian , 2012 , -LRB- Not -RRB- reporting homosexuality in the Middle East , , Krajnc , Anita , Al Jazeera Arabic ignores gay news , , 2 August 2010 ,
6. This exactly shows the market in action ; Al Jazeera English broadcasts mostly to a European audience who are not offended by reports on gay rights whereas Al Jazeera Arabic is geared towards a Middle Eastern audience and does not challenge cultural values or orthodox religion .
7. It is a clear example of sacrificing the good in the name of the best in the example given , the writer mentions that Al Jazeera covers stories relating to gay rights but does so on its English language channels .
8. Expecting news outlets to ignore those simple realities is asking them to self-destruct by ignoring their market .

Where there is a clear objection to discussing a certain subject, insisting on doing so is not news, it’s propaganda.
Claim: The ICC has an anti-African bias
What evidence supports this claim?

1. The ICC has not brought actions against anyone involved in conflict in Colombia , or for the conflict in Sri Lanka or for human rights abuses around the world .
2. Every person indicted by the ICC so far has been an African , for events which occurred in Africa , all bar one case , the Libya situation -LRB- in which no trials have started and seem a long way off -RRB- , are in sub-Saharan Africa .
3. The ICC is simply selectively prosecuting .
This House believes transparency is necessary for security
What is a possible side to this debate?

Transparency prevents public relations disasters
Language integration is already happening.
Come up with some evidence to support this claim.

1. Creole languages are the ultimate form of language integration , and most would argue that this is n't language death , and can in fact enhance the culture through the new language .
2. Bryson -LRB- 1991 -RRB- states that , `` According to Dr Loreto Todd of Leeds University , the world has sixty-one creoles -LRB- languages that are a mix of two different ones , such as the many different Pidgins spoken around the world -RRB- spoken by up to 200 million people . ''
3. Integration is something that is already happening due to the existence of Creoles .
1. If we can access more of those , we can significantly benefit justice .
2. Right now , there are thousands of rape kits sitting in evidence lockups in the police stations of less affluent districts .
3. The justice system will be able to consistently produce fairer and more robust outcomes if the state enables conviction of criminals years after their crimes .
4. DNA evidence is advancing steadily and will aid in prosecution .
5. This means poorer jurisdictions can afford to utilize DNA analysis for the purposes of collecting evidence .
6. Furthermore , even if it is not advancing significantly in terms of the methods we use at any given point , it is likely that the current methods we have will be streamlined and eventually go down in cost .

What is the general argument implied by these sentences?

DNA evidence gathering is advancing and becoming cheaper; using DNA evidence in prosecutions will lead to more just outcomes, even years after the commission of a crime.
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. This is partly an issue of corporate identity , and partly a clever business proposition .
2. Googles corporate motto is dont be evil .
3. The key to Googles dominance in the search market is that users know Google will always deliver the search results most relevant to them .
4. In both cases , complying with Chinese censorship rules damages Google as a company .
5. By adhering to censorship laws , users will trust the relevance of Googles search results less , which hence erodes Googles business position as users will be more likely to try alternative search engines

Not censoring helps Google’s business proposition and corporate identity
This house believes that the EU should offer a closer partnership with Mediterranean countries
What argument could one make about this debate topic?

A partnership will be an incentive to Mediterranean countries to begin the process of democratization.
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. Given that the growth of annual emissions is being driven by developing countries , many developed countries -LRB- like the US -RRB- believe that any treaty that does not include developing countries -LRB- particularly China -RRB- would be fruitless .
2. However , the developed world is unwilling to transfer wealth in exchange for a right to emit , particularly at a time when so many have large budget deficits .
3. 1 .
4. There is no meaningful global emissions reduction treaty ready for ratification and no reason to be optimistic that one is forthcoming .
5. The Kyoto Protocol failed to reduce global GHG emissions and in the midst of an economic crisis , world leaders were unable to even agree to a replacement treaty when it expired .
6. As such , developing countries will only agree to a global accord that pays for their emissions reductions/abatement .
7. The developing world believes it has a legitimate right to expand economically without emissions caps because the rich world is responsible for the vast majority of emissions over the last 200 years and per capita emissions in developing countries are still far lower than in the developed world .

Failure to reach global accord
Claim: A ban would save lives
What evidence supports this claim?

1. , , 14 December 2012 , Matthews , Jake , For Lives and Liberty : Banning Assault Weapons in America , Harvard University Institute of Politics , 2012 , Peters , Rebecca , Will Sandy Hook massacre be Americas tipping point , , 17 December 2012 ,
2. Masters , Brian , Americas deadly obsession with guns The Telegraph 16 December 2012 , Follman , Mark , et al. , A Guide to Mass Shootings in America , , 15 December 2012 , Wang , Sam , Did the federal ban on assault weapons matter ?
3. An evaluation by the Australian National University found laws saved $ 500 million and halved the number of people killed by guns saving 200 lives every year .
4. Taking the low estimate of 1 % of deaths from assault weapons that still means 90-100 people a year while the high 7 % means 630-700 lives that could be saved .
5. While assault weapons are responsible for a relatively small amount of total gun deaths in the USA that is not a good reason for not banning them ; any life saved is worthwhile .
6. The period of the Federal Assault Weapons Ban from 1994-2004 with the exception of 1999 , the year of the Columbine massacre -LRB- which notably involved a semi-automatic produced before the ban -RRB- , was also a peaceful period in terms of numbers of mass shootings .
7. Out of 62 mass murders since 1982 almost half the weapons used , 67 out of 142 , were semi-automatic handguns and more than 30 were assault weapons .
8. So some form of gun control is necessary and a ban on assault weapons is a good starting point .
9. Murder by gunfire particularly affects children , in total well over a million Americans have died in this manner and 80 people continue to be shot in the states every day .
10. To put things into the general context of gun crime within the United States every year 17,000 people are killed , 70 percent of them with guns and nearly 20,000 people commit suicide by shooting themselves .
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. In short , the results of the games are illegitimate .
2. This is especially unfortunate when fans invest hours to watch a game -LRB- or hundreds of hours watching an entire season -RRB- , only to see the wrong outcomewhich could have been entirely avoidable if umpires were allowed to review their decision .
3. There are times when umpires make incorrect calls that determine the outcomes of games or , worse , World Series championships -LRB- e.g. , Don Denkinger and the 1985 World Series , mentioned above -RRB- .
4. These erroneous decisions lead to the team that deserved to win actually losing , and vice versa .

With more accurate calls come more legitimate outcomes to games
Sentences: 1. Whatever one thinks of the initial justifications for the war there is no doubt that the country , the region and the world are better and safer places without Saddam Hussein .
2. It 's important to be clear that this debate is looking at the results of the Iraq war and , by any definition Iraq is in a much more stable and secure position than it was in 2003 when American , British and other international troops arrived in the country .
3. It is easy to criticize the allies but it is worth bearing in mind that the alternative was leaving in power a man who had committed genocide was a vicious and brutal dictator under whose regime extra-judicial execution and detention , mass-murder and torture were commonplace .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

Saddam Hussein is gone and Iraq is now functioning as one of very few democracies in the Middle East
Corporal Punishment for Adult Offenders
What argument could one make about this debate topic?

Prison reform is politically unachievable
This House would cull badgers
What argument could one make about this debate topic?

A cull is needed to prevent bovine TB
This House Does Not Trust the Market for Improvements in Energy Standards.
What is a possible side to this debate?

Only government is in a position to tie together the necessary legislation in terms of training, jobs and environmental standards
What debate topic are the following sentences about?

1. This would help to fill the 2million unfilled vacancies that exist in the EU with young people .
2. Youth Business International , Global Youth Unemployment : a ticking timebomb , , 27 March 2013 , Youth Business International , Global Youth Unemployment : a ticking timebomb , , 27 March 2013 , European Commission , Youth Unemployment , , 2013 ,
3. The temporary work scheme would encourage business to change their attitude and hire more young workers .
4. Having to hire young people , even for a short time , would help break negative stereotypes and often the employers would then offer longer term work .
5. When they are unemployed , the situation can be alarming .
6. This is because of the importance of getting a job early on so as to avoid becoming long term unemployed .
7. Rising youth unemployment can be considered an international timebomb .
8. Young people are the next generation of workers and consumers in the economy .
9. The lack of experience in work may cause a lost generation .
10. This must be averted , and the EU is one of the best placed to do this .

This House believes EU member states should guarantee people under 25 a temporary workplace when they have been unemployed for six months
Summarize the argument implied by these sentences?

1. There is little reason to doubt that they will .
2. In an age when any fool with a cell phone and a twitter account can snap a topless pop star on the beach , tabloid hacks are under greater pressure than ever to go the extra mile .
3. Against that background , when a flat out lie can be broadcast around the world in seconds , clearly a different legal and regulatory framework is needed from the old days of print where an apology was actually relevant however begrudgingly given .
4. Privacy is already one of the dominant legal issues of our age that looks likely to become ever more the case .

There have to be limits to the permissible levels of intrusion into people’s lives, in an increasingly connected world people- celebrities or not- have never been more conscious of this simple fact.
1. Factcheck.org , Presidents Winning Without Popular Vote , Annenberg Public Policy Center , 24 March 2008 ,
2. In 1824 , 1876 , 1888 , 2000 , and probably 1960 , the candidate receiving the most votes for president lost the election .
3. This occurs because all but two states award all their electoral votes to the candidate winning a plurality in the state ; because all states receive two electoral votes corresponding to their two US senators ; because the number of House seats -LRB- which serve as the basis of the remaining electoral votes -RRB- often poorly match the population of the state ; because states cast electoral votes no matter how many people actually vote ; and because the size of the House is arbitrary .

What is the general argument implied by these sentences?

The electoral college violates the democratic principle that the winner should be the candidate receiving the most votes.
Sentences: 1. For example , ice cores such as those from Vostok , Antartica , give evidence of changes in climate going back 400,000 years , far older than the 6,000 or so calculated from a literal reading of Genesis .
2. Similarly , there are many geographic features that took thousands or millions of years to form .
3. For example , most of the stars in the sky are thousands and millions of lightyears away , which means that light took thousands and millions of years to reach us .
4. Evidence from many different disciplines shows that the Earth is very old , allowing enough time for life as it exists today to evolve and contradicting a Creationist belief in a young earth .
5. Bjrn Feuerbacher , Determining Distances to Astronomical Objects , , Accessed 1/6/2011 Vostok Ice Core , , Accessed 2/6/2011
6. There are many different indicators that all point to an old age of the Earth .
7. All the evidence points this way , from archaeology , geology , physics , astronomy and more .

What claim can be made from these sentences?

The Age of the Earth
What is the debate topic for the following sentences?

1. The crisis in the financial sector has confirmed for many that government and large financial institutions have simply got too close .
2. A libertarian agenda is one that draws people from across the political spectrum .
3. The primary reason why people can approach libertarianism from across the political spectrum is that , as a philosophy , it doesnt seek to judge individual policies .
4. Republicans say they can reduce the size of government but never do , Democrats say they can regulate corporations but show no sign of doing so .
5. So policies traditionally associated with the left the legalization of drugs or gay rights as well as those of the right - independence for schools and reducing taxation both fall within a Libertarian agenda that simply says that none of these issues are any business of the state .

This House would be a libertarian; right or left, right or wrong.
This House supports a progressive tax rate
What is a possible side to this debate?

Progressive taxation promotes a more equal, more harmonious society