Starters

Question 1

this theme provokes much controversy

Answer 1

este tema provoca mucha controversia

Question 2

the first thing I have to say

Answer 2

lo primero que hace falta decir

Question 3

in the first place

Answer 3

en primer lugar, en segundo puesto…

Question 4

is it worth mentioning

Answer 4

vale mencionar

Question 5

we have to pay attention

Answer 5

debemos examinar con atención

Question 6

it would be good to establish the arguments for and against

Answer 6

será conveniente establecer los argumentos en pro y en contra

Question 7

to illustrate the problem

Answer 7

para illustrar el problema

Question 8

to consider the subject in more detail

Answer 8

para considerar el asunto más detallademente

Question 9

of course

Answer 9

por supuesto

Question 10

we are going to go deeper

Answer 10

vamos a profundizar

Question 11

it is a theme I find very interesting

Answer 11

es un tema que me tiene mucho interesado/a

Question 12

to begin

Answer 12

para empezar

Question 13

I want to point out

Answer 13

quiero apuntar

Question 14

the opposite is also true

Answer 14

el opuesto es la verdad también

Question 15

we have to ask ourselves

Answer 15

tenemos que preguntarnos

Question 16

it is clear that

Answer 16

está claro que

Question 17

it is essential that

Answer 17

es esencial que

Question 18

i don’t think it is as +adj

Answer 18

no pienso que sea lo más (importante)

Question 19

at the beginning

Answer 19

al principo

Question 20

there’s no doubt that

Answer 20

no cabe duda de que

Question 21

one cant deny that

Answer 21

no se puede negar de que

Question 22

one must highlight the importance of

Answer 22

hay que subrayar la importancia de

Question 23

to tackle the problem

Answer 23

afrontar el tema

Question 24

the main worry

Answer 24

la preocupación predominante

Question 25

its a topic that has interested me for some time

Answer 25

es un tema que ya me interesa desde hace algún tiempo

Question 26

its a topic that has been in the media for years

Answer 26

es un tema que ya lleva varios años apareciendo en los medios

Question 27

it is not a surprise that

Answer 27

no es de sorprender que

Question 28

a crisis on a world wide scale

Answer 28

una crisis a escala mundial

Question 29

there are those who say that

Answer 29

hay quienes dicen que

Question 30

the plain truth of the matter is

Answer 30

la verdad lisa y llana es

Question 31

anyone can see that

Answer 31

cualquiera es capaz de ver que

Question 32

one cannot help thinking that

Answer 32

no se puede menos de pensar que

Question 33

we’re kidding ourselves if we think that

Answer 33

es una ilusión creer que +subj

Question 34

the crux of the matter is that

Answer 34

lo esencial del caso es que

Question 35

everybody knows that

Answer 35

nadie ignora a

Question 36

as if it were not enough

Answer 36

y por si eso fuera poco

Question 37

to understand better

Answer 37

para comprender mejor

Question 38

the main reason

Answer 38

la razón principal

Question 39

whats certain is that

Answer 39

lo cierto es que

Question 40

in fact I’d say that

Answer 40

en efecto yo diría que

Question 41

I want to make it very clear that

Answer 41

quiero dejar muy claro que

Question 42

the fact is that

Answer 42

el caso es que

Question 43

one presumes that

Answer 43

es de suponer que

Question 44

if we realise that

Answer 44

si nos damos cuanta de que

Question 45

the dilemma is that

Answer 45

el dilema es que

Question 46

its a good job that

Answer 46

menos mal que

Question 47

it is of extreme importance that

Answer 47

es de suma importancia que

Question 48

its a disgrace that

Answer 48

es una vergüenza que

Question 49

its even more astonishing that

Answer 49

es incluso más sorprendente que

Question 50

to turn a blind eye to

Answer 50

hacer la vista gorda