43 Do you agree or disagree with the followingstatement? Games are as important for adults as theyare for children. Use specific reasons and examples tosupport your answer.

Everyone likes to play games. Games are important at any ageto keep your mind sharp, learn new things, and maintain socialskills.

People say you can’t teach old dog new tricks. Modern research has shown that senior citizens cancontinue to grow brain cells by exercising their mind. Games are a great way to exercise yourmind. By concentrating on the tactics of the game, memorizing moves, keeping track of youropponents’ strategies, you can keep your brain functioning and growing.

Some games can teach you a lot. Games that ask questions, for example, will show you what youdon’t know. (Name the capital of Albania, for example.) It is always easier to learn something whenyou realize you don’t know it.

When you play a game, you have to be considerate of your opponents. You can observe people’sreactions and the way they interact as they play. It is always interesting to watch people. Maintaining personal contacts is important for everyone.

Regardless of your age, playing games can help you keep your mind alert, learn new things, andbuild friendships.

44 Awards and prizes are given for excellence in various fields. Do these awards andprizes serve a useful purpose? Use specific reasons and examples to support youranswer.

A prize or award, whether it’s the Noble Prize, the Academy Award, or Best Handwriting Prize, isimportant. Such prizes can have economic, personal, and social effects that enrich the life of therecipient.

Prize like the Noble Prize can be a cash award. But ever for prizes that don’t, like the AcademyAward, an actress who wins best actress will be offered more roles and a higher pay than actresseswho don’t win the award. Even for the elementary student who received the school’s BestHandwriting award may get a congratulations gift from proud grandparents.

The personal benefits of receiving any award are evident. Any award winner is pleased that be orshe has been recognized for his or her work. When people receive the Academy Award, they oftencry they are so happy.

Everyone likes to be with a winner. A person who gets a prize often has many new, best friends. Awinner’s social life is much better than a loser’s social life. The winner of the Best Handwriting prizemay not be very popular with his or her jealous classmates, however.

Awards serve a very useful purpose in that their economic, personal, and social benefits add to therecognition.