Wild Animals Have No Place in the 21St Century, and the Protection Is a Waste of Resources

1 V104 Wild animals have no place in the 21st century, and the protection is a waste of resources. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

The current global extinction crisis is one of the greatest challenges posed by the rapid expansion of human populations. The protection of endangered species, as far as I can see, should be a top priority for three main reasons: economic value, scientific value, and survival value. Wild animals provide many valuable substances, such as meat, skins and furs. The financial value of wild species is important to the economies of many nations. In many countries the recreational viewing of animals at zoos is also a source of revenue. The study of wildlife, on the other hand, provides valuable knowledge about various life processes. Such study has helped scientists understand how the human body functions and why people behave as they do. Scientists have also gained medical knowledge and discovered important medical products by studying wildlife. In addition, by observing the effect of environmental pollution on wild animals, scientists have learned how pollution affects human life. Furthermore, every species of wildlife plays a role in helping maintain the balanced, living systems of the Earth. These systems must continue to function if life is to survive. Thus, the loss of any species can threaten the survival of all life, including human beings. In conclusion, the protection of wild animals in the 21st century is by no means a waste of resources; on the contrary, its importance should ever be more stressed by international organizations, government agencies, industry and individuals for the valuable resources the wild animals provide us and for human survival. (250 words)

2 V105 Some people claim that there are more disadvantages of the car than its advantages. Do you agree or disagree?

The current hot issues include the one of weighing the advantages and disadvantages of the automobile. In my opinion, its advantages outstrip its disadvantages for two major reasons: impact on society and economic impact. Firstly, the development of automobiles has had an enormous effect on people’s way of life throughout the world. The automobile has given people freedom of movement. It influences where people live and work and how they spend their leisure time. However, each year, motor vehicle accidents kill an estimated 300,000 people throughout the world. But it is the drivers that are the chief factor in vehicle safety because they are responsible for about two-thirds of all accidents. Besides, the

1 automobile itself has become safer and modern road building techniques have increasingly lowered the risk of automobile accidents. Secondly, many nations depend on automobile production to provide jobs for millions of workers. Filling stations, restaurants, and other businesses that serve automobile travelers are of major importance to a country’s economy. In addition, many developing nations have begun making automobiles to stimulate industry. For example, China has promoted broad-based automobile manufacturing. However, automobiles produce terrible air pollution that endangers people’s health in many of the world’s big cities. But in many countries, steps have been taken to control air pollution caused by automobiles. In summary, the striking changes in people’s lives and the economic impact created by the automobile in the early 20th century have since spread across much of the globe and its disadvantages are becoming insignificant. (250 words)

3 V106 Tobacco is a kind of drug. People have been free to sue it. Some people think that it should be illegal to use it comparing with other drugs. To what extent do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion?

The use of tobacco products has been a controversial issue for many years. To my mind, tobacco should in no sense be compared to drugs as illegal, but should not be encouraged either, considering its harm to health. Tobacco has long been a source of money for the governments in many countries. This income comes from taxes on the manufactured products. Excise taxes also come from tobacco that arrives from other countries. Yet, cigarette smoking is a leading cause of many life-threatening diseases. During the 1960’s, scientists established that smoking tobacco products – especially cigarettes – could cause lung cancer, heart disease, and other illnesses. While cigarette smoking has its harm mainly on individuals, drug abuse has a range of potentially harmful effects not only on individuals but also on family, friends, work and society. Cocaine can cause high blood pressure, leading to a brain stroke. Injecting drugs into the body with contaminated needles can lead to blood poisoning, which may result in death. Sharing needles with a person who has AIDS can give a user those diseases. Frequent drug users may turn to crime to meet the increasing expense for their habit. Continued drug use may cause personality changes. Some users lose interest in school or work, or have difficulty meeting the responsibilities of a job or family. To conclude, cigarette smoking, in spite of its harm to a person’s health, has the advantage of earning revenue from taxes for a country and it is incomparable to the lethal drug abuse. (250 words)

V107 (2003.1.18 – Malaysia) Some people believe that students who want to go to university after graduation from high school should have about one year’s time to get a job to obtain work experience or have a travel to enlarge their vision. Do you agree or disagree? What is your opinion?

High school students who intend to study at university should attend tertiary education after graduation. To spend one year’s time doing a job to acquire work experience or to travel for broadening one’s vision is, to my mind, a waste of time and energy. First, university education is the continuation of high school education for those students who want to pursue their learning at an advanced level. A break of one year from academic study will probably weaken one’s memory of what has been learned, especially for those who will study such theoretical subjects as mathematics, physics or chemistry. Besides, many nations have established one examination that all students must pass to qualify for admission to a university. For example, in China there is a college entrance examination. Anyone who fails in the examination will be denied of admission into a university. Furthermore, one year’s work or travel does not help students much in their academic studies at university because it is unpredictable for one’s work experience to be integrated into one’s studies of specific subjects, to say nothing of traveling experience. Even if some subjects, such as MBA, require students to have work experience, one year’s work experience, however, is not sufficient to meet the requirements of three or five years, and one’s work experience should, after all, be related to management. To conclude, I would rather suggest that university’s curriculum allow the integration of academic study with practical training for the compensation for students’ lack of work experience. (250 words)

5. V108 Some people say that the government should not put money on building theatres and sports stadiums. They should spend more money on medical care and education. Do you agree or disagree?

Much discussion concerning allocation of resources assumes that the government should spend money on medicine and education rather than on theatres and sports stadiums. In my opinion, this issue should be examined from the angle of whether the

3 investment benefits the great majority of the population. The institutions of medical care and education, undoubtedly, should receive priority in the allocation of a government’s expenditures, at the thought of millions of children from deprived backgrounds who now get a substandard education, and who would require a relatively high quality of education if they are to enjoy anything approaching equality of opportunity in later life. Another pressing need of society is improvement of medical care for the adult poor, for the aged, and so forth down the list. Theatres and sports stadiums are institutions for promoting human culture. A successful theatrical event is an exciting and stimulating experience, whether it occurs in a grand theatre or a high school auditorium. Spectators as well as those involved in the production feel this excitement. Sports stadiums, on the other hand, attract millions of spectators to watch professionals play every year. Many more millions watch games on television, read about them in newspapers, and discuss them with their friends. Therefore, can we say that these are unnecessary public expenditures the government should ignore? In conclusion, today man is becoming ever more aware of his spiritual needs. Medicine and education are needs that we recognize, but are contacts with theatrical or sports events also basic needs? (250 words)

6 V109 The computers are widely used in education and some people think that teachers do not play an important role in the classroom. To what extent do you agree?

The importance of computers continues to increase in schools. Some people think that teachers will not play an essential role in the classroom in future. But I have some mental reservations on the issue. Teachers have long depended on textbooks and other printed materials to assist learning. Now computers have been adapted for classroom use. In a classroom where computers are used extensively, the teacher may no longer be the main source of information. But the teacher may act as a facilitator, guiding and assisting students to locate, interpret, and share information. Since computerized instruction can provide teachers with detailed information about each student’s progress, teachers who use computers may have more time to give extra attention to students who need it. What is more important is that teachers’ skills and attitudes influence everything that happens in their classrooms. During the years that young people spend in school, teachers are among the most important people in their lives. Teachers often help students as much by personal example as they do by offering instruction. Students who see their teachers demonstrate patience, trustworthiness, attention to work, and love of learning may be encouraged to develop similar qualities in themselves. The computer can in no way replace the role of the teacher in these respects.

4 In conclusion, a teacher’s role of guiding and assisting students learning, and his shining example for students to follow are what a teacher is praiseworthy for, and the computer has only proved to be a valuable educational tool. (250 words)

7 V110 What are the causes for losing varieties in languages and cultures?

Every human society has a culture that includes arts, customs, language, etc. Every culture changes and the main causes for losing varieties in language and culture, in my opinion, are: contact with other cultures, and development of science and technology. When two cultures have continuous contact with each other, the two cultures may blend or adopt their cultural traits, such as language, clothing, etc. thus losing their individual cultural varieties. When people of one culture who move to a country where another culture dominates may give up their old ways and become part of the dominant culture. For example, groups of people from many countries have settled in the United States. Most of these people gradually abandoned the way of life of their homeland, and adopted an American way of life. They learned the language, adopted the customs, and followed the traditions. The development of science and technology, on the other hand, may attribute to changes in a culture. The invention of steam engine, for example, produced great changes in the way people lived. The invention of the computer in the mid 20 th century has also had enormous impact. It has brought far-reaching changes in communication, education, entertainment, and numerous other areas of modern life. In conclusion, to lose varieties in language and culture is to lose richness in them. Therefore, to my mind, multiculturalism should prevail in the contemporary world, so that ethnic groups can bring variety and richness to a society by introducing their own ideas and customs. (250 words)

8 V111 Which plays the major role in children’s personality development, nature or nurture?

Over the past few decades there has been an ongoing nature-versus-nurture debate about the causes of children’s personality. To the best of my knowledge, there are many influences on the development of a child’s personality, but the main causes are his genetic makeup, environment, and behavioral genetics. There is evidence that both genetics and environment affect children’s personality. Studies have shown that the tendency to acquire some personality characteristics – including activity levels, anxiety, aggression, and independence – can be inherited.

5 Although one’s genetic makeup does not determine one’s behavior, it provides a child strong tendency to behave in a particular way. Personality is also influenced by environment. Thus, a child with particular personality characteristics is more likely to show them if the home environment reinforces them. For example, harshly punishing a child who has a genetically based tendency for aggression contributes further to the child’s aggression. Major advances have been made through behavioral genetics, the field concerned with the relative influence of genetic and environmental factors on individual behavior. For example, if we study the personalities of identical twins who have been separated since birth, we may find that the twins have the same genetic makeup but differ in the environments in which they are reared. Similarities and differences can help reveal the relative importance of genetic and environmental influences. To sum up, the shaping of a child’s personality is attributed mainly to the role of specific social experiences and environmental events, his genetic makeup as well as the behavioral genetics. (250 words)

9 V113 (2003.1.31 – Sydney) Some people think that university should not provide theoretical knowledge, but to give practical training that is beneficial to society. Do you agree or disagree?

The current hot issues concerning higher education include the one of whether university should provide theoretical knowledge or practical training. In my opinion, this issue is closely related to the different aims of different universities and the needs of the economic development of the respective country. As we know, university education gives a student a better appreciation of such fields as art, literature, history, science, and human relations. Therefore, it is necessary for the university to provide theoretical knowledge for those students who intend to receive liberal education. Most universities also have professional colleges that prepare students for careers, such as teachers colleges, agricultural or dental colleges. These colleges, apart from offering some liberal arts courses, usually allocate a certain period of time for professional training. For example, a student at teachers college usually takes a field training at a high school as a student teacher for two or three months. Another important factor on this issue is the needs of the economic development of a respective county. For instance, in China, a great number of advanced professional personnel are needed to keep the pace with the rapid economic development. Therefore, cooperative education that combines classroom studies with practical work experience is more appropriate an education China needs at the present time. In a word, how much emphasis that should be laid on theoretical knowledge or practical training is determined by the needs of the economy of a respective country

6 and the needs of all-round personnel for a democratic society. (250 words)

10 V114 Some people prefer to stay in the same job for the same company; but others prefer to change jobs frequently. You should use specific reasons to compare the advantages and disadvantages of both sides.

The uncritical view that is prevalent among some people at present is that people can no longer expect a job for life. This conception has its advantages, as far as I can see, especially at a time when new technologies constantly turn up. Therefore, a person will have to pursue several careers during his life, so that he will not become technologically obsolete, with skills that are no longer needed. Furthermore, large corporations sometimes make it a policy to move their men from one job to another. This is the protean man, having several different lives and having a variety of work experiences. But the disadvantages of this frequent shifting of one’s job is expending too much time and energy on renewing one’s knowledge and learning new skills, and the difficulty of landing a suitable job, especially in a recession when rivalry for employment becomes severe. In contrast to those protean men, some people will stay in the same job for the same company. This practice avoids the risk of losing one’s accumulated rights, especially during a recession and the risk of joining on a “last in, first out” basis when they go to a new company. But what they lose is promotion because nowadays promotion is increasingly through career moves between companies. To sum up, different people have different attitudes towards life and work. Some tend to lead an easy life and flexibility is out of the question, while others think otherwise and mobility is their philosophy in life. (250 words)

11 V115 Some people think killing animals for food is cruel and unnecessary and some people think it is essential for daily diet. To what extent do you think about these two views?

Before we examine the issue of whether killing animals for food is cruel and unnecessary or essential for our daily diet, I think that first we need to classify the term “animals” into two categories – wild animals and domestic animals. In terms of wild animals, they make up an essential part of nature. Wildlife is also important in scientific research. With that view in mind, I cannot but think that killing animals for food is not only cruel and unnecessary, but also damages ecosystem. The

7 use of animals for food simply deprives them of their right to survival. Moreover, we do not need to eat them for survival. Yet, the activities of human beings and human population growth have increased the danger for wildlife. If this continues to happen, human beings will lose much of great value that cannot be replaced. On the other hand, the rapid growth of the world’s population and the rise in the standards of living have created further demands for food. Thus, I think that it is necessary for people to rear domesticated animals and kill them as a source of food. Furthermore, livestock has other benefits, such as providing such food products as butter, cheese, eggs, and milk in addition to meat and valuable by-products as fur, hair, leather, and wool. In conclusion, we human beings have great obligations for wild animals, as they are a chain in the ecosystem that needs to be protected, while tamed animals could serve human needs for food. (250 words)

12 V116 Some information in films, books and on the Internet has bad influence on young people and even on society. Some people think such information should be controlled. Give your opinions on this view.

Of late, social scientists and educators have been shifting their focus on the issues of how some negative information, transmitted through films, books and Internet, influence the young people and what should be done about it. To my mind, films, books and programs on the Internet that carry bad information should be controlled or even banned. Every year, hundreds of books have been printed on almost every subject and attract young readers to read. However, some contents in books may have profound negative information on them, such as detailed descriptions of plotting a scheme, drug deals or even bank robbery. Such books, I think, should absolutely be banned. On the other hand, films may also contribute to harmful impressions of the world on the young people. One of these is formed from viewing the violent crime-filled world shown in films. This may leave on the young viewers an impression of an unfriendly world, of an evil world. Therefore, films depicting scenes of violence should be controlled to the young. Young people, however, seem to be more easily affected by computer games on Internet. Some studies have shown that time spent on computer games is linked with poor performance in school. Moreover, violence in games often encourages some young people to behave aggressively. For that, I appeal to computer programmers to design healthier, educational games. In conclusion, bad contents or negative information in films, books and Internet

8 should either be banned or controlled for the sake of young people’s healthy growing- up. (250 words)

13 V117 (2003.1.31 – England) Some people think that children should learn how to compete, but others think that children should be taught to cooperate to become more useful adults. Express some reasons for both views and give your own opinions.

The current dispute on whether children should be taught to compete or to cooperate among some people should, to my mind, be reconciled if we consider the fact that children’s education should be examined according to general education guidelines and specific situations. Education’s primary goal is moral development. In every country, elementary school pupils learn moral values and the rights and duties of citizenship besides reading and writing. Children are expected to learn, for example, honesty, cooperation and the rules of social behavior so that they may acquire an understanding of universal moral principles necessary for society’s survival and to become more useful adults after their growing up. Moreover, as we know, the effect of an activity or experience depends on how the child interprets it. For instance, violent behavior on television may heighten the aggressive tendencies of a child who considers such behavior permissible. Children are less likely to be influenced by TV violence if they have learned that violent behavior is wrong. Education also helps children adjust to changes in specific situations. This benefit has become increasingly important because social changes today take place with rapid speed, and affects the lives of more and more children. For example, the competition among school leavers for enrolment in key high schools has become fiercer year by year. Education can help a child understand it and provide the skills for adjusting to it. Therefore, children should learn how to compete with other children in order not to fail in the competition. (250 words)

14 V118 (2003.1.11 – Sydney; 2003.1.15 – Auckland) Is there a gap of living in cities and the countryside？What are the causes of the widening gap in your country and how can you reduce the difference?

The debate over the merits of city versus country living will probably never be settled to anyone’s satisfaction. But I believe that the argument has now gone in favor of the city. Take China for example. Cities have been viewed as the sites for economic

9 opportunity by the masses of people. The countryside has become progressively depopulated, as millions sought jobs and better lives in cities. The urbanization process in China hastened its steps and widened the gap between the city and the countryside for a time. Commerce and industry have established the cities as places to live and work. And even if city life sometimes proves to be congested, expensive, and uncomfortable, it represents an improvement over the poverty of the countryside. Moreover, urban cities are filled with people from many different local cultures, and this variety makes them interesting places to live. Many people choose to live in cities because they enjoy the variety of cultures found there. However, the gap once deepened in scope and scale in China is now being narrowed down due to the wise policy of the Chinese government in developing the rural industry and agricultural productivity. Since 1979, a total of 222 million rural poor in China have thus been lifted out of poverty. To sum up, the city, cherished by many people, is the place where culture emerges and flourishes, the heartland of economic development and prosperity, but our endeavor is to narrow down the gap between the city and the countryside. (250 words)

15 V119 (2003.1.17 – Sydney) Universities should accept equal numbers of male and female students to study in every subject. Do you agree or disagree?

In the contemporary world, universities have no sex discrimination against women, but it does not mean to say, in my opinion, that they should enroll equal numbers of male and female students to study in every subject due to unique characteristics of subjects and personal choices. Industrial arts and metalworking, for example, are areas of general education that deals with technology and industry. In the past, most schools required boys to take industrial arts. Today, though most courses in these fields are coeducational, yet only a small number of female students study these subjects because they require manual skills and mental abilities as most graduates in manufacturing fields work in factories where working conditions include high levels of dust, heat, or noise. Some factory jobs also require great strength or standing for long periods. However, university home economics programs that aim to train people to work as professional home economists attract many people, especially women as many of these professionals work in the food, housing, and clothing industries. Some work in the fields of design, marketing, nutrition, or family services; others communicate information to consumers or teach skills used in the home. More women serve in the field of nursing than in any other profession except

10 teaching. Most nurses are women. The proportion of female enrollment in nursing programs, therefore, predominates in medical colleges. To conclude, the proportion of gender in university’s enrollment, in general, is determined by distinct features of the subjects and personal choices, instead of strict regulations. (250 words)

16 V120 What are the purposes of places such as museums and how should they be funded?

A museum is a place where a collection of objects illustrating science, art, history, or other subjects is kept and displayed. Therefore, the purpose of museums is, to my mind, twofold: to collect and preserve the results of human achievement and evidence of the natural world and to use these collections to enhance human knowledge and understanding. A museum needs to acquire new objects to add to its collection. Many are gifts from people who collect such items as paintings, precious stones, or sculpture. Other gifts include items that have been kept in a family for many generations. Sometimes a museum buys an item needed to fill a gap in one of its collections. Museum conservators clean, preserve, or restore objects before they are exhibited. Many museums have an education department that gives lectures and classes on the museum’s collection. Most museums offer guided tours and other programs for children and adults. For example, science and technology museums have pioneered experimental methods of teaching and “hands-on” exhibits. Children’s museums also emphasize learning by touching and doing. Other activities provided by museums include art festivals, concerts, and hobby workshops. The funding of the museum operations, as far as I know, can be multi-channel. These sources may include foundations and corporations, national and local governments, and individuals as well. A museum may also earn money to fund itself by charging admission fees, or selling gifts relating to their exhibits, or by selling less desirable items from their collections. (250 words)

17 121 (2003.1.11 – Aston, England / Cambridge, England; 2.15 – Hangzhou) Some people think that visitors to other countries should imitate local customs and behaviors. Other people disagree. They think that the host country should welcome different cultures. What is your point of view on the issue?

The shifting of the term ‘a melting pot’, a traditional way of understanding

11 America’s identity into ‘ a salad bowl’, now preferred by many minority groups, who have worked to preserve the distinct culture of their group shows, in my opinion, the view of multiculturalism deep rooted among the people. People of one culture who move to a country where another culture dominates may feel confused when they deal with people there. This kind of cultural shock usually passes if a person stays in a new culture long enough to understand it and get used to its ways. Some of them may also give up their old ways and imitate local customs and behaviors. In a multicultural society, however, assimilation does not always occur. A multicultural society, on the other hand, supports the view that many distinct cultures are good and desirable. In the United States, for instance, millions of people speak both English and the language of their own culture. They eat both American foods, such as apple pie and ethnic food. They celebrate both national holidays – Fourth of July and their ethnic holidays. In Chinese communities across the United States, parades and other festivities mark the Chinese New Year. To conclude, multiculturalism, I think, outstrips the concept of assimilation for the former welcomes different ethnic groups and promotes freedom of expression and awareness and understanding of cultural differences. While ethnic groups in turn can bring variety and richness to a society by introducing their own ideas and customs. (250 words)

18 122 (2003.1.19 – Taiwan) Is it necessary to forbid smoking? Give your reasons.

People have smoked tobacco for thousands of years. Cigarette smoking can be hazardous to a person’s health. But to forbid smoking merely for that reason, to my mind, is beyond question. First, cigarette smoking for pleasure and relaxation has become common. The effects of nicotine help make smoking pleasurable though its effect on the nerve system also causes many people to become addicted to it. If we forbid this history- long habit of smoking, an innumerable number of people will immediately be affected, directly influencing the work they are engaged in, especially for heavy smokers. Furthermore, tobacco ranks as an important crop in more than 60 nations. China leads in tobacco production, followed by the United States and India. The taxes on tobacco products provide a major source of revenue for tobacco-growing countries. To forbid smoking means to end the tobacco industry and its related industries, thus weakening the economy of tobacco-growing nations and throwing a large number of workers into streets, leading to social instability. After all, the decision to smoke is considered purely a personal choice. Since the surgeon general first warned about the health hazards of smoking in 1964, millions of people have quit smoking. The popularity of smoking has been dropping because of decreased social acceptance, increased cost of tobacco products and increased

12 awareness of health risks. In conclusion, it is imperative for governments to formulate policies regulating smoking to provide protection for nonsmokers and to influence smokers to smoke less or quit rather than forbid it. (250 words)

19 0906 (03) If a five-year-old commits a crime, should the parents be held responsible or punished? What is the age of the child do you think parents should not take the responsibility?

Juvenile delinquency is regarded as a serious social problem in many countries. Many studies have been made to determine the causes of delinquency. But in my opinion, family relationship is the main cause.

Sociologists have pointed out that over 90 percent of the delinquents had unhappy home lives and felt discontented with their life circumstances. Many had parents with whom they did not get along or who were inconsistent in their patterns of discipline and punishment. Delinquency appeared to them to be a solution. Therefore, the parents, to my mind, should be responsible for their young lawbreakers as they are their guardians and responsible for their moral development. In some communities, for example, the police would refer children accused of minor delinquencies to their parents.

The legal age at which a person is considered to be a juvenile varies from place to place. But I would refer anyone under the age of 18 as a juvenile. Those under that age usually spend most of their time at home and are still dependent of their parents’ care and education. Above the age of 18, a person becomes mature physically and mentally, and should be responsible for his own acts. Therefore, any lawbreaker over the age of 18 will be sent to a criminal court and tried.

To sum up, to establish a good family atmosphere is the key priority for parents to bring up their children in a healthy way, otherwise they have to shoulder heavy responsibility for their children’s misconduct. (250 words)

20 0913 (03) People who graduate from the university earn a lot of money. So they should pay the full cost for their education. To what extend do you agree or disagree?

Gone are the days when university students in China would receive state stipends in addition to free tuition, as most of the families were unable to support their children

13 to study at university, and accordingly university graduates’ earnings were just adequate for a living.

Such a situation at the institution of higher learning has changed since China adopted the policy of reform and opening to the outside world. People’s living standards have now immensely improved along with a steady growth of the country’s GDP in recent years. It is absolutely rational, in my opinion, for university students to pay the full cost for their education as they would receive a higher salary after graduation for one reason, and most of their families have virtually become better off and could now afford their children’s tuition for the other.

However, we have to admit the fact that there are still some families, especially those in the rural areas that are unable to cover a high education fee for their children. Therefore, most universities in China have formulated the policy that is somewhat in favor of those financially disadvantageous students in order to provide them with an equal opportunity of further education in the form of scholarships, interest free bank loans or part-time jobs within the university.

In conclusion, I fully agree to the notion that university students should pay the full cost for their education at university, but the education fee should not be a barrier for those promising yet poor students. (250 words)

21 0913 (03) The young generation is important for the world although the government has ignored some problems they are facing. Could you please list several problems, and provide some solutions?

Youngsters in China as well as elsewhere in the world are often labeled as the future of the country, but they have problems, such as education, employment, drug abuse, juvenile crimes, just to name a few.

In terms of education, many young people are virtually deprived of the right to receiving higher education due to various factors. This situation in turn places some educated youths on an unequal footing in the employment market. Thus, I would suggest that universities enroll more students and companies and enterprises run training projects for those unprivileged ones.

Another problem facing youngsters today is the wide spread of illegal use of drugs. Tracing its causes, we might find environmental factors such as peer pressure in young people, and the availability of drugs as major ones. In China, there are over 1 million people who abuse drugs and 70% are young people. Therefore, I think the government should set up funding for the treatment of drug abuse and for the creation

14 of law-enforcement to fight the illegal sale of drugs.

Juvenile crime, on the other hand, is thought to be another problem of the young people due to lack of parental supervision, failure in school, the increased availability of drugs and alcohol. All these conditions tend to increase the probability of a juvenile committing a criminal act. Though small in number, juvenile delinquency has its negative effect in society. This requires the joint effort of the parents, schools, community and the government in tackling this problem. (250 words)

22 Increasing travels between countries can enable people to learn different cultures, but others believe that it could increase tension between people from different countries. What is your opinion?

With the expansion of international tourism, some social scientists start to cast a shadow of doubt on the positive significance of the industry. In joining in the debate, I would like to look into why and how of the matter before presenting my view on the issue.

People’s motivation in their planning for an overseas travel might be varied but there is one thing in common as far as I can see – to observe and experience an alien way of life. You are delighted to see different costumes in a foreign country, or try a food you have never tasted or even heard of, or are amused to observe a wedding ceremony that differs from yours.

But where does tension that worries some people come from? In most cases, I think it is derived from the language barrier and culture shock. The travelers, especially those independent ones sometimes find themselves in a bewildered situation when they discover that the guidebook or the map is Greek to them. Likewise, an American host may find it unable to invite a Chinese friend to a dinner before he learns that the courtesy needs three time’s invitation. Both cases result in mental and emotional strain on the part of the travelers and the host.

My view on the issue is, therefore, self-evident. International tourism promotes understanding between people of different cultures, while the tension felt by some tourists like an interlude in a concert is a short and happy experience from the optimistic perspective. (250 words)

23 Parents think that the university education can prepare their children for

15 employment opportunities, but others believe that universities have some more functions. What other functions do you think can a university perform?

With ushering in of the 21st century, many colleges and universities in the world grew much larger and served a greater variety of purposes. It is only natural for this transforming because education should, after all, be based on the economy.

While most colleges of the 19th century focused on teaching a curriculum of classical languages and literature, in the 20th century new multipurpose research universities gained increasing influence. Most public institutions began to provide a wider variety of professional training. For instance, in China, we have such colleges as Institute of Foreign Affairs that aims to train personnel involved in foreign affairs, or College of Metallurgy that trains engineers engaged in the field of metal works.

Another function that the colleges and universities perform is to provide students with liberal arts that may have no direct vocational application. Students after four- year academic study may have the opportunity of furthering their education to pursue a master or doctorial degree and enter institutions of research after graduation. In China, these comprehensive universities like Fudan University and Beijing University are very popular.

The third category of colleges and universities that function otherwise is the ones of integrating academic and vocational objectives, keeping academic curriculum while adding vocational one to meet the needs of ever-growing economy. At present, China is advocating such a combination of curriculums so that new faculties or modules are added to the existing curriculum, expanding their enrolment to accept students who wish to achieve both academic and vocational objectives. (250 words)

24 0228 (04) The environmental problem is so serious to most countries and individuals that to solve it is at the international level. Do you agree or disagree?

The ecological mess we discovered we had made a few decades back touches everybody on the planet. Some say the problem could be solved at the international level. I fully agree to this point of view.

To start with, take human population growth - the major cause for all of the world’s environmental problems - for example. Population increase uses up additional natural resources and generates pollution. However, it would be a mistake to assume that population growth is primarily a problem of developing countries. In fact, larger amounts of resources are used in developed nations, and hence causing a much greater

16 environmental impact. Therefore, conservation strategies that would greatly lessen environmental impact are essential in the developed world.

Another case in point is tackling global warming. Scientists have found that at least half of the global temperature increase can be attributed to human activity. If the global temperature continues to rise, the consequences may be devastating. But this will not be solved without the joint efforts of all governments at the international level.

Still another is depletion of the Ozone Layer. In 1987 an international agreement on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer set specific targets for all nations to achieve in order to reduce emissions of chemicals responsible for the destruction of the ozone layer.

To sum up, global environmental collapse is not inevitable. But the developed world must work with the developing world to ensure that conservation strategies should become more widely accepted at the international level. (250 words)

25 0313 (04) Motorized flight is the most important invention in the modern world. Not any other invention has such a significant impact on our lives. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

(Version One) Human civilization has progressed along with discoveries and inventions among which motorized flight, to my mind, can be acknowledged as one of the most important inventions of mankind.

The aviation industry began in 1903 when Wright brothers made the world's first successful airplane flights. Since then, airplanes have affected the lives of people almost everywhere. Giant airliners carry passengers, cargo and mail between the world’s major cities in a matter of hours and have made great contribution to the development of the tourist industry and world’s economy. In agriculture, farmers use airplanes to seed fields, or spray insecticides, covering hundreds of hectares of land.

Aviation has also changed modern warfare that now depends more on the instant striking power of jet fighters and bombers and the rapid supply capabilities of jet transports. The recent war on Iraq is a case in point. In space exploration, on the other hand, the mission of Apollo 11 to land two men on the moon and Mars’s exploration Rover Mission would not be possible without the super motorized flight – spacecraft.

However, along with the development of airliners, new challenges have been

17 created. The air disasters could cause heavy loss of life. Airliner hijacking also becomes a serious problem throughout the world. And we cannot forget the 911 Terrorist attacks on the WTC buildings. But can we say that the motorized flight is not a major invention of the modern world, in comparison with its benefits and influence rendered on the people of the world? (250 words)

(Version Two) Technopolitan man is on the go and we can expect the pace and scope of mobility to increase as motorized flight has shrunk the globe. It is no exaggeration to note, in my opinion, that aviation is the most important invention of the modern world. It has a far-reaching influence on the economic, social, and political climate of the 21st century.

The airplane is a vital machine in the transportation system. It facilitates the production and distribution of a nation's goods and services. It also furnishes employment for a large number of people. The rise of the airplane has affected other industries as well. Airways make it possible for people to enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables from faraway places.

Besides affecting economic life, aviation has had an important impact on the individual's relationship with society. It has speeded up communication by making person-to-person contact easier. It has altered recreational habits as well. A person on vacation can see historic and scenic sites thousands of miles away within a short time.

In the field of political life, aviation has had a great influence. As people are brought closer together, it is hoped that their understanding of each other would grow accordingly. Today, there are summit conferences attended by many government officials all over the world, thanks to speedy air travel.

In summary, motorized flight has affected people’s lives nearly in every respect and its future influence will be boundless when man’s dream of flying to the other planets becomes a reality. (250 words)

(Version Three) The motorized flight, to my mind, is one of the major inventions of the modern world. But when we look into the aviation industry, we find that it is a systematic and complicated project, embodying numerous other inventions.

As we know, the way for a new invention is prepared by all the previous related inventions and discoveries. The father of aviation, Wright brothers, for example, could make the world's first flight only because there was a long series of inventions before it, including the glider, the experience of pioneers in that and all the scientific knowledge of aeronautics then available.

18 A distinguishing feature of 21st century research is that it represents systematized invention. To produce and operate airplanes requires the skills of millions of workers in many countries--from the engineers who design the planes to the mechanics and pilots who service and fly them. Many government agencies also work to make flying safer and more dependable.

The manufacture of aircraft, together with the Aviation support industries and its related electronic equipment makes up the aviation industry. For instance, some aviation support industries provide a wide variety of supplies and services to airlines, airports, pilots, and passengers. Some companies furnish repair services or fuel for airplanes. Various food services prepare meals to be served on passenger flights. Weather bureaus supply pilots with weather information.

In conclusion, motorized flight is and will be one of the most important inventions of the modern world, yet it embodies the accumulated wisdom of mankind. (250 words)

(Version Four) Motorized flight is one of the major important inventions of the modern world, but in comparison with the invention of the computer, it ranks very much the second in its cost, popularity and utility. Aviation has a history of over a hundred years while the computer only covers less than half a century and its constant renewing gives it a new life in a matter of a few months’ time. While aviation is still a luxury for the few, the cost of a computer might be one return ticket from China to Britain. The popularity of the computer is incomparable to aviation. From a few dozen companies in the early 1960's, the computer industry has grown to more than 10,000 firms throughout the world. By the mid-1990's, experts estimated that more than 50 million computers were linked to the information superhighway - the Internet. In terms of utility, if we compare the motorized flight to the wings, then the computer is the brain. The spaceship is able to land on the moon with its powerful wings, but without the computerized instruments, it cannot send back abundant useful information, and even the scientists at base could hardly know its whereabouts. To sum up, actually it is a difficult task to give a reasonable rating to motorized flight or the computer because every invention is a crystal of wisdom of human race and everything has its utility. Can you imagine what will happen if one screw fixed on the spaceship becomes loose? (250 words)

26 0320 (04) Police in Britain do not carry guns. Some people believe that it will make citizens

19 unprotected, but some suggest that it would reduce the violence in society. Discuss those two views.

The fact that the police in the United Kingdom do not carry guns has triggered off a debate of whether this practice will make its citizens unprotected or reduce violence in society. The argument against the practice focuses on the need of police’s protection of people’s lives once armed criminals assault them. In handling such a dangerous situation, the unarmed police will put themselves in an inferior position, and the fear on the part of the victim is inevitable. But in an armed criminal operation, special weapons units will enforce the law. Moreover, patrol officers may receive assignments to investigate a reported crime. If necessary, they may call the police station for assistance. Therefore, the patrol police in their usual beats protect citizens in Britain and special weapons units in emergency cases. The argument for the practice, on the other hand, sees its positive effect of reducing violence in British society. When they see the mere difference of the police in the streets is their uniform, people may feel they are amiable, easy and pleasant to talk to. This image of British police might help smother someone’s irritation or settle a family argument that will otherwise result in violence. However, social violence is attributed to many causes. The police in Britain could in their capacity control violence happening at scheduled parades and other public events; nevertheless they are unable to foresee it happening elsewhere. The more appropriate way of reducing violence in its society is to root out its causes. (250 words)

27 Moving big companies, factories and their employees to the countryside could solve traffic and housing problems in major cities. To what extent do you agree or disagrees with this point of view?

The twin aftereffects of urbanization and overpopulation in major cities - traffic congestion and housing shortage - have become ever more serious; therefore, some people advocate moving large companies, factories and their employees to surrounding suburbs. However, in my opinion, we need first look into their direct causes before we can have a realistic evaluation on the proposal. In terms of traffic congestion, we can attribute its causes to three categories. The old structure problem in a metropolis results in bottlenecks, jamming the traffic. Then, the increasing numbers of private automobiles add extra burden to the already heavy traffic. Furthermore, violation of traffic regulations on the part of drivers and

20 pedestrians becomes the last straw on camel’s back. Housing crisis, on the other hand, can be resulted from ever-expanding urban population. Yet, housing projects are very much lagging behind. In addition, urbanization only worsens the housing conditions. In China, for instance, 0.14 billion surplus workforce in the country will change its present status quo in two decades’ time. The advocate of moving companies, factories and their employees to the countryside may theoretically relieve the deteriorating situation of traffic and housing. Nevertheless, when we consider a large city, say, of some millions of residents, the consequence of this practice can really be insignificant. After having examined the causes for the traffic and housing dilemma in a metropolitan area, we may arrive at the conclusion that a more appropriate way for bettering traffic and housing situation is to root up their causes. (250 words)

28 In many countries, women join the army as men do. However, some people argue that the army solely needs males. Discuss those two views.

My intention in this short article is to draw on the issue of women in the army, to give a tentative analysis of two opposing views towards female participation in the military. The argument for the issue focuses on the nature and function of female service in the army. In response to changes in social values and political, economic, and military pressures, exclusion restrictions on servicewomen have been steadily eroding in recent years. Nowadays women are permitted to occupy jobs that are likely to require them to be in combat in defensive positions. Actually, some types of combat jobs are likely to be seen as more appropriate for women than others, such as nurse or army service corps, etc. Evidence also shows that women would not show themselves to be any less fit for military action than their male counterparts. Nevertheless, women are still excluded from units that involve offensive warfare. However, the military history in many countries has been an overwhelmingly male experience. Until recently, warfare was so clearly recognized as "men's work." Furthermore, the argument against the issue is also based on traditional or religious grounds. In Kuwait, for instance, women do not serve in the army under the law; and even in Israel, unmarried women between 18 and 26 can be exempted from service on religious grounds. To sum up, the integration of females into the military will continue to be one of the important questions needing to be addressed. The issue is still alive and undecided. (250 words)

21 29 The high sales of popular consumer goods reflect the power of the advertising and not the really need of the whole society in which they sell. To what extent do you agree or disagree.

Almost every citizen in an urban city hears or sees advertising every day. The bombardment of advertising has led many critics to attack it as a wasteful, unnecessary, and unreliable institution. But in my opinion, modern advertising plays an integral role in the development of markets for popular consumer goods.

By interesting consumers in purchasing commodities, advertising enables manufacturers to sell their products in larger quantities than they would otherwise; the increased volume of sales, in turn, enables companies to sell individual articles at lower cost. What is the magic of advertising, then?

The power of advertising lies in many techniques of persuasion. Among these are repetitive television and radio commercials, such as appeals to children to "ask mommy" to buy a certain brand of milk. Another basic persuader is the trademark as symbols of reliability and value. In addition to these, price appeal probably motivates more decisions to buy than any other appeal. Furthermore, the modern advertiser now stresses not the product but the benefits that may be enjoyed by purchasers. Thus, to attract the prospective buyer of automobiles, the manufacturer may stress not only the mechanical attributes of the car but also the excitement, comfort, and prestige it may bring the buyer. However, I would equally be in favor of the view that the high sales of popular consumer goods are the reflections of people’s increasing purchasing power and their needs. Few people would squander their money on unnecessary goods simply because of the persuasion in the media. (250 words)

30 Some people think governments should spend as much money as possible exploring outer space (for example, traveling to the Moon and to other planets). Other people disagree and think governments should spend this money for our basic needs on Earth. Which of these two opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Space research with its input of billions of dollars draws people’s attention. Some argue that governments should spend as much money as possible on space research. However, others disagree and think that this money should be better spent on people’s basic needs. Personally, I think that this issue is a controversial one and an intermediate position can be taken.

22 Exploring outer space without doubts will bring important results in the future, especially at the present time when the natural resources on Earth are being exhausted. But we have not moved much forward since humankind made a huge step in exploring the space a half of the century ago. Therefore, my point of view is that governments should continue to invest money in space research but this money should be spent very carefully.

From the other side, I think that the Earth and people need more attention than ever. Nowadays, people breathe polluted air and drink contaminated water. Many animals are at danger of disappearance. People in some regions of the world are suffering from hunger, diseases and poverty. Therefore, I think that governments should spend more money on uplifting the living standards of the people, improving public facilities, developing modern technologies and helping people in need. They should also need to allocate money to create programs for saving the environment and animals. To sum up, I believe that we should not stop exploring outer space but we need to make our Earth healthier and people free from poverty and anxiety. (250 words)

31 It is possible nowadays that people perform their everyday tasks, such as shopping and banking as well as business transactions without meeting people face to face. What is your opinion on the effect on both individual and society as a whole? State your idea with evidence and relevant examples.

With the introduction of high technology into our economy and society, our life and business seem to be easier, yet impersonal. This phenomenon has, I think, both the positive and negative effects on individuals and society.

In terms of the effect of the high technology on individuals, people find that they can perform everyday tasks without meeting people face to face. An example of this is the availability of cash machines. On-line purchase also changes the way people go shopping, and the invention of B-to-B module penetrates every branch of the business world. All these save people the time, energy and resources, yet alienate them from the reality. Lack of communication between people leads to the language barrier. In Germany, one quarter of the children have the language barrier, resulting in the unhealthy development of their personality.

The effect of the high technology on society cannot be ignored, either. Our work becomes more efficient and social life more vivid. Nevertheless, a machine-oriented society has its downside. The relationships between people become cold. As a result of this, people might take an indifferent attitude towards what is happening around

23 them, such as air pollution, extinction of wild animals, global warming, etc. And the devoice rate is ever rising, leaving millions of parent families behind. All in all, we might well come to the conclusion that with the advancement of our society, our life is becoming comfortable and social life colorful, but we cannot neglect its negative effects on individuals and society. （250 words）

32 Some people think that visitors should follow the local cultures and behaviors. Others think the host country should welcome the culture differences. Discuss and give you opinion.

The shitting of the term ‘a melting pot', a traditional way of understanding America's identity into ‘a salad bowl', now preferred by many minority groups, who have worked to preserve the distinct culture of their group shows, in my opinion, the view of multiculturalism deep rooted among the people.

People of one culture who move to a country where another culture dominates may feel confused. When they deal with people there. This kind of cultural shock usually passes if a person stays in a new culture long enoud1 to understand it and get used to its ways. Some of them may also give up their old ways and imitate local customs and behaviors. In a multicultural society, however, assimilation does not always occur.

A multicultural society, on the other hand, supports the view that many distinct cultures are good and desirable. In the United States, for instance, millions of people speak both English and the language of their own culture. They eat both American foods, such as apple pie and ethnic food. They celebrate both national holidays - Fourth of July and their ethnic holidays. In Chinese communities across the United States, parades and other festivities mark the Chinese New Year. To conclude, multiculturalism, I think, outstrips the concept of assimilation for the former welcomes different ethnic groups and promotes freedom of expression and awareness and understanding of cultural differences. While ethnic groups, in turn, can bring variety and richness to a society by introducing their own ideas and customs. (250 words)

33 0416 (05) The advantages of the spreading of English as a global language will continue to outweigh its disadvantages. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

24 It is acknowledge that English is the most widely spoken language in the world. It is now close to being an international language. In my opinion, the spreading of English will bring about far more advantages than its downside.

Today, English as the international language of science and technology plays an ever more positive role in pushing forward their development. This can be demonstrated in the innumerable amount of information and literature disclosed and published in English, shared by all scientists. Modern inventions and discoveries, such as computers and space exploration, could not be achieved without a single language – English as an access to those valuable data. However, in comparison with this, the acquisition of English regarded as an obstacle by a few can really be ignored.

English is also used throughout the world in business and diplomacy. Global economy needs an international language and English serves this purpose. More and more business transactions between different countries adopt English as an official language in negotiations and contracts. So do international conferences and seminars on economy. In international diplomacy, English is even more extensively employed in summit conferences and meetings, discussing some of the issues that determine the destiny of the mankind. Nevertheless, the direct communication in most cases is possible only via simultaneous interpretation, if we may consider this as an inconvenience.

To sum up, English as a global language will have a far-reaching significance when more people learn to speak it and direct communication in English becomes a reality. (250 words)

34 The present controversial issue lies on how many children a family can have. In some countries a family could only have 1 child. Yet, in others there are no limitations. However, in my opinion, I prefer to two children and effective measures must be taken to control the number of children in a family. With the development of economy, the world is exposed to the population explosion, which brings about too many social problems, such as food shortage, scarcity of medical care and severe competition in education and work opportunities. Furthermore, people’s life quality will be on the fall if a family has too many children and these children are unlikely to receive good education, then they will not get the equal opportunities as the single child does in their later lives. Children who are brought up under one child one family policy are mostly open- minded and have much more confidence since they receive a great deal of care from their parents and grandparents. Research shows that a single child is easier to succeed in his business in the future, but he is easier to be a self-centered person and might be indifferent to other people. A single child might have a weak and sensitive heart and have no capability of getting along with others harmoniously.

25 In conclusion, I insist on two children per family policy, which not only gives children a healthy heart to survive for themselves but also reduce the burden to the family and the whole nation. (250 words)

35 Death penalty is a debating issue on how a criminal should be punished. Some people think that a criminal should receive capital punishment if he commits a severe crime. But the opposition view holds we should respect the criminal’s right to live. As I know, death penalty is an effective method to maintain the stability of society and a ringing bell for some people on the verge of committing criminal acts. Without death penalty, the criminals will probably commit crimes again once they are released and this will do harm to the safety of other people’s lives and properties. The worse thing is that the adolescence will learn to do the same, thus increasing raping and violence and destroying the peace of society. Besides, if a criminal could avoid being sentenced to death, where are the victim’s life rights to be protected? How to calm down the furies and sadness of the victim’s family? How to comfort the survivor’s heart? On the contrary, sentencing a criminal to death is fair to the victims. Anyone who deprives other people of their lives should be tried and sentenced to death. This will teach others a lesson that they should not go beyond the boundary of law; the most important thing of all is that this can reduce the violent crimes and make our lives safer and our society more peaceful, but death penalty must be enforced fairly and seriously, which should reflects the notion that we respect people’s lives whoever he is. (250 words)

36 There are two views on how to use the health budget. Some people think that health education and prevention is more important than treatment, but in fact more money is used in curing people’s illnesses in our society. In my view, prevention is beneficial to saving the medical expenses and reducing the burdens of the family. Firstly, treatment is a passive measure to deal with people’s illnesses, while prevention is an active measure to maintain people’s health. A man who catches a cold might be free from the influenza. Of course it will spend mush less money to cure a man, so prevention is an economic way to defeat diseases. Secondly, prevention is useful to building our bodies and relieving patient’s pain, or uncomfortableness. For example, a patient who has essential hypertension will suffer from many chronicle diseases, such as heart failure, kidney failure and stoke, etc, which all do harm to his health and bring many uncomfortable complaints to patients but if we take some strong methods to prevent us from essential hypertension, all of other diseases oriented from it will go away from the patients undoubtedly.

26 Finally, prevention can reduce the burdens of the patient’s family. If a patient goes to the hospital to cure his disease, all of his family members will look after him in turn, which will influence their life and work. In conclusion, the health budget used in prevention is much more beneficial than used in treatment.

Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of cigarette smoking and what measures have been adopted to protect the health of non-smokers.

Cigarette smoking for pleasure and relaxation has become common. But to the best of my knowledge, it has more negative effects on smokers than its merits. The history of tobacco smoking can be traced back as early as 2000 years ago. At that time people used tobacco as a medicine. However, since 1950, scientists have found that smoking can be harmful to a person’s health. Cigarette smoke contains thousands of chemical substances. Many of these substances can cause diseases. The effects of nicotine in cigarette smoke help make smoking pleasurable. However, its effect on the nervous system also causes many people to become addicted to it. Such an addiction makes it hard for people to quit smoking. One of the greatest dangers of smoking is the increased risk of cancer, particularly lung cancer. Today, in many countries, as many as one third of all cancer deaths are attributed to cigarette smoking. It is also known that smoking increases the risks of other diseases of the heart and lungs. Since cigarette smoking is a leading cause of many life-threatening diseases, governments all over the world have made laws and policies to provide protection for nonsmokers and to influence many smokers to smoke less or quit. These laws and policies require that all packaging and advertising for cigarette should carry a health warning, and some public places, such as schools, hospitals, workplaces and government buildings should be smoke-free. In conclusion, cigarette smoking can be number one enemy that ruins human health. However, with the implementation of anti-smoke laws and policies as well as constant efforts made by the smokers, the future world will be cleaner and be free from cigarette smoke dangers. (280 words)

Modern science is slowly unlocking the secrets of the human genes. Some people argue that this is a good thing, because in the future doctors will be able to cure serious illnesses such as cancer and heart disease. However, others argue that it could be used to ‘manufacture’ people according to the needs of society. What do you think? Give reasons for your answers.

Advance in science has led to great leaps in genetic research that could potentially bring many advantages to mankind, but only if this knowledge is used to benefit society as a whole, and not for the pursuit of profit for a few. The advantages of genetic research are difficult to deny. Indeed, the curing of previously incurable diseases, and the cloning of human organs for transplant, could improve the quality of people’s lives beyond comparison. However, at the same time, the technology could be used for the pursuit of greater profits for the people who control such technology. Already there is a debate raging that the mapping of the human gene sequence can be used by insurance companies to determine the future health of their clients. For example, if someone’s genes indicate they are likely to get cancer, then this knowledge could be used by the company to increase the cost of insurance, or even refuse insurance. This, then, begs the question of how ethical and moralistic the pursuit of profit is. Of course, it can be argued that such information would come under the control of governments. Yet how much control would governments ultimately be able to exercise over financially powerful companies who are responsible for the acquisition of that knowledge to begin with? This leads one to wonder whether the cloning of people could result in the manufacture of individuals who are void of normal human characteristics such as intelligence, and needs such as love and social recognition who could be exploited by companies to undertake low paid, menial work for the benefit of the owners. And this, potentially, is only one step further on from the cloning of animals. There are, of course, many advantages to genetic research. Yet at the same time the dangers are not to be ignored. And certainly, the control of such knowledge should not be left in the hands of a few. (320 words)

Almost three-quarters of the population of the developed world live in towns and cities, whereas around two-thirds of the developing world live in rural areas. Argue for or against the following statement: The developed world should lead by example and not insist that aid to the Third World be used to develop rural areas.

It is acknowledged that the great majority of the Third World population still live in poor rural areas, constantly appealing for international aid. As to the question of where the aid should go, I am for the notion that the developed nations should help the Third World countries to develop industry and urbanization rather than to develop rural areas. As past experience of the developed nations has shown, reduction of poverty in rural areas can not be fully achieved without the resources being wisely used to develop industry. Take China for example. In recent years China has laid much stress on developing its industry, which, in turn, stimulates the development of rural industry and agricultural productivity. Since 1979, a total of 222 million rural poor in China have thus been lifted out of poverty. Moreover, recipient nations of the international aid should also use the resources to invest in infrastructure of the cities. The role of urbanization is another way in reducing poverty in rural areas. It has been fully recognized in a strategy that transfers rural labourers to towns and cities, thus reducing the number of farmers in rural areas and increasing farmers’ incomes at the same time. Therefore, it is a wise policy for the developed nations to encourage the developing countries to use international aid to develop urban cities. In conclusion, in order to put international aid on its profitable use, the developed nations should help the Third World countries to develop industry and urbanization. (250 words)

Discuss the causes and effects of widespread drug use by young people in modern day society. Make any recommendations you feel are necessary to help high youth drug abuse.

Youth drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many cultures. Not only is illegal drug use on the rise, but children as young as 10 years old are experimenting with alcohol and tobacco. The causes for this behaviour can be traced to family and social factors. Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it is acceptable to abuse their bodies with drugs. Consequently, children may have a similar view towards illegal drugs even if their parents are against their use. In addition, drug use shown on television and in films can only confuse children who are also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong. The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs is a possible cause of the problem. Many believe they cannot live up to their parents’ expectations and feel a sense of hopelessness. Also, the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment. Drugs are used as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressures they face in society. The effects of drug abuse are well known. Many young people’s talents are wasted and addiction to hard drugs can cost a user his or her life. Furthermore, those who take drugs and drive may be involved in fatal road accidents. The cost to society is great, and enormous amounts of money are spent on convicting drug dealers and on education programmes. To conclude, I recommend that the only sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young people about the dangers of drug use and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them. (282 words)

Advanced medical technology can extend the life of the sick and aged to well beyond the age of 70. Discuss the possible effects of increasing natural life-span. Worldwide, life expectancy has increased more in the 20th century than it has in all of recorded history due to advanced medical technology and improved living standards. Studies are underway to investigate the effects of aging. With advancing age, most of the body's organs perform less efficiently and the ability of the immune system is diminished. Weakening of body’s functions makes the elderly person vulnerable to injuries and diseases. On the other hand, the social isolation that often exists among older people can dramatically influence mental attitudes and behavior. Moreover, many older people live under or near the poverty level. This poverty or isolation often leads to mental depression and other problems, such as alcoholism. Aging affects not only the elderly person himself, but his family as well. In many parts of the world, older people who cannot work and have health problems live in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. But many families are unable to bear the costs of nursing homes and medical care for the elderly, and health insurance is unable to cover the expenses. Apart from effects of aging on the older person and his family, aging populations are expected to have profound effects on the way societies care for their elderly members. With a larger proportion of the population over age 70, medical care must become better equipped to deal with the disorders and diseases of the elderly. As the percentage of older people in the population exceeds the percentage of young working people, traditional methods for caring for older people may need to be modified. For example, social security and health insurance may be in jeopardy. In conclusion, increasing life expectancy on a worldwide scale, especially in developed countries, has created many problems, affecting the elderly, the family and the community. (298 words)

Studying the English language in an English-speaking country is the best but not the only way to learn the language. What is your opinion?

Studying a language in a country where it is widely spoken has many advantages. It is, therefore, a good idea to study English in a country such as Britain. However, I believe it is not the only way to learn the language. In the first place, most students in non-English-speaking countries learn English at secondary school and sometimes at university nowadays. Although their spoken English is not usually of very high standard, their knowledge of grammar is often quite advanced. This is certainly useful when students come to an English-speaking country to perfect the language. Furthermore, studying the basics of English at secondary school is less stressful than learning the language while overseas. This is because students living at home do not have to worry about problems such as finding accommodation, paying for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in a foreign country where day to day living causes much stress. However, there are obvious advantages of learning English in Britain. Every day there are opportunities to practise listening to and speaking with British people. Also, students can experience the culture first-hand, which is a great help when trying to understand the language. This is especially true if they choose to live with a British family. Furthermore, if students attend a language school full-time, the teachers will be native speakers. In this case, not only will students speaking and listening skills improve, but attention can be given to developing reading and writing skills as well. In general, even though it is preferable to study English in an English-speaking country, a reasonable level of English can be achieved in one’s own country, if a student is clever and works hard. (282 words)

Some people feel that in order to improve the quality of our education, we should encourage high school students to evaluate and criticize their teachers; others feel that it will cause the loss of respect for teachers and discipline in the classroom. Discuss.

Gone are the days when teachers were regarded as sacred authorities that could not be criticized since modern society became more democratic. To my mind, therefore, we should encourage high school students to evaluate or even criticize their teachers. As far as I can see, evaluation and criticism on teachers at high school can undoubtedly improve the quality of education. First of all, this practice breaks the long-standing rules that students must respect all that their teachers have taught them, and also could greatly stimulate their initiatives and creativeness in their studies and acquiring for new knowledge. On the part of the teachers, they can take the opportunity to listen to and receive opinions and suggestions from their objects so as to improve their teaching. Thus, this kind of teaching democracy will only benefit both teachers and students. Nevertheless, some people come up with some worries, owing to the fact that students might be misled and result in loss of respect for teachers and discipline in the classroom. Some teachers even believe that criticisms from their students are attributed to their strict requirements. So in order to gain a high grade, they would lower their assignment demands. Honestly, I have to admit that this kind of fear does exist among some teachers. But the fact is that most students will give a fair and just evaluation. If the teachers take a positive attitude towards students’ criticisms, they will actually win more trust and respect from students. Eventually, relationships between teachers and students will be enhanced. In summary, evaluation and criticism on teachers at high school can greatly improve the quality of education and its negative aspects can be avoided if we correctly handle the teaching democracy and know how to use it. (292 words)

Fathers are just as capable as mothers of taking care of children, so men should share parenting work more equally with women

The uncritical view that is prevalent at present is that fathers are just as capable as mothers of taking care of children. To my mind, this conception holds some water. To illustrate this point, there are two factors that should be taken into consideration: fathers’ capabilities in parenting work and the time he has in caring children. In terms of capabilities, it seems that mothers have the innate abilities and are more advantageous than men in that respect. But it does not mean to say that fathers are not able to acquire these abilities that mothers possess. In fact, fathers love their children no less than mothers. Although fathers are not good or even clumsy at taking care of children, if they have a high sense of responsibility as a parent and a loving heart, they can learn and acquire these abilities that seem to belong to mothers. And I do believe that fathers are just as capable as mothers, once they have learned the art of looking after children. The second factor that should be taken into consideration concerns the time -how much time a parent has in caring children. Before we discuss the issue of time, we have to put one thing straight, that is, the term “more equally” does not mean the “equal time” a parent should have in caring children. In fact, men usually put more energy and time on their work itself rather than family. So naturally, a certain number of men spend less time on children than women do. But I think men, as fathers, would do their best to squeeze time as much as possible in taking care of children. If a father can do this, he has played a full role of carrying out his parenting work. To sum up, men could and will share parenting work more equally with women, and more and more men are willing to do so though some of them appear to be a little slower in their actions. (332 words)

Some people think that it is more important for a single language as an international official language; others believe that it will make it difficult to identify countries and it will result in the loss of a nation’s culture. What is your opinion? And show your reasons and examples.

Language is the main means of communication between peoples. But so many different languages have developed that language has often been a barrier rather than an aid to understanding among peoples. Therefore, I think it is important to have a single language as an international language, but I equally believe that the promotion of a universal language is difficult and may result in the loss of a nation’s culture. The arguments in favor of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all peoples spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and good will and understanding might increase between countries. An example of this is Esperanto, the most successful universal tongue proposed. There are about 2 million speakers of Esperanto. This figure, however, accounts for only a small fraction of the 6 billion world’s population and its application is quite limited. Further promotion of Esperanto is, to my mind, too difficult. As we all know, learning a language depends on the age of the person learning it. Before the age of 10, all languages are equally easy when learned by the natural speaking method (listening and imitating). After 10, learning a language becomes more difficult. The same is true with Esperanto. Then, we might turn to the adoption of an existing language, such as English, French, or Chinese, as a universal language. The adoption of any language, artificial or natural, would greatly simplify communication. The real problem, however, lies in the choice of such a language because there are so many possibilities. An artificial tongue does not reflect a true culture as existing languages, whereas the adoption of a natural language would force the culture of one nation on all nations. Therefore, the possibility of adoption of one world language appears dim. In conclusion, to have a universal language will certainly remove the barrier in enhancing understanding and in promoting economic ties among all nations of the world, but its promotion is pretty hard and may result in the loss of a nation’s culture or even its identity. (343 words)

State some of the causes for juvenile delinquency and offer some suggestions about delinquency prevention.

Juvenile delinquency, regarded as a serious social problem, is found in all nations. Many studies have been made in an effort to determine the causes of delinquency. However, to my mind, the major causes are related to family relationships, community conditions or influence of other youngsters. First of all, poor family relationships should be the major cause for juvenile delinquency. Studies comparing delinquent and nondelinquent brothers show that over 90 percent of the delinquents had unhappy home lives and felt discontented with their life circumstances. The second cause can be traced to unhealthy community conditions. Delinquency rates are above average in the poorest sections of cities. Such areas have many broken homes, poor schools, high unemployment, and high crime rates. Many young people see delinquency as their only escape from boredom, poverty, and other problems. The last but not the least cause is the influence of other youngsters who commit delinquencies. Most youngsters who engage in delinquent behaviour do so with other juveniles and often in organized gangs. Moreover, televised violence encourages youngsters to be aggressive in their behaviour, thus leading them to the abyss of crime. As to the issue of delinquency prevention, I think we can provide counseling services to youths who appear to be on the verge of becoming delinquents. We can also set up clubs and recreational centers in an effort to keep them away from situations in which delinquency is likely to occur. Of course, improving the educational and work skills of youngsters should be given first priority in delinquency prevention programs. To sum up, juvenile delinquency is a serious social problem. It concerns family, community and society as a whole. Work experience, counseling, and education are perhaps some of the remedies to cure it. (290 words)

Nowadays, some national parks are facing great challenges. What are the causes for the worsening situation in national parks?

People often think of the world’s national parks as islands of unspoiled nature. Today, national parks are facing several major challenges. Major threats, to my mind, come from pressures to develop park resources, from poaching, from environmental pollution, and from overcrowding. First of all, pressures to develop park resources cause big problems in some national parks in developing countries, especially in Africa and South America. People there discovered that many of the parks contain valuable resources. There are trees that might be cut, minerals that might be mined, and there are also animals that might be captured or killed for sport or financial gain. Governments are forced to sacrifice parks in favour of economic development. Next, poachers also invade those parks. Many of these illegal hunters seek profits by killing animals for valuable body parts. In Tibet Autonomous Region of China, for example, the number of Tibetan antelopes is declining rapidly in recent years due to the rampant illegal hunting and limited manpower to protect them. Furthermore, changes in the environment also endanger the parks. Various forms of pollution – especially air and water pollution – present major threats because they easily cross park boundaries. The last but not the least, the world’s national parks have experienced dramatic growth in tourism during the recent years. However, some popular parks are actually endangered by their admiring visitors. In some popular national parks, for example, visitors’ automobiles create traffic jams, kill wildlife, and pollute the air. To sum up, conservation - protection of natural resources- has always been the primary reason for creating national parks. However, despite the official protection by governments, national parks worldwide are now facing threats from outside their boundaries. (277 words)

Some people think that the new Millennium is the opportunity while others think it is a danger. What do you think about it and what do you expect to happen in the new Millennium?

Environmental protection and poverty eradication are two major issues facing all nations of the world, especially developing and undeveloped countries. In my opinion, the new millennium will be heading towards achieving a positive result in solving these problems. To be living at the start of the new Millennium is to exist in the most advanced technological era in history. Of course we shall not forget that we are still surrounded by countless problems, social and environmental. Fortunately, people’s awareness of these problems has been strengthened with the establishment of such organisations as Greenpeace and the World Wildlife Fund. It is likely that in the new Millennium government policies and industries that threaten the environment will come under close investigation. Furthermore, environment agreements signed by world nations promise reduction in levels of “Greenhouse” gases and banning of the production of substaces that pollute the environment. However, there is still much to be done. Unchecked consumerism in developed nations such as Japan and wealthier nations in North America and Europe where people have accustomed to comfortable lifestyles that consume large amounts of energy and new materials and produce many wastes. And large-scale destruction of virgin forests in some developing countries for short-term financial benefits. These are but two examples of issues of environmental ruin. But what is often overlooked, however, is that the best remedy for failure is poverty in undevelped countries. Nevertheless, economic growth and technological progress are not the enemies of environmental protection, but the means by which protection programs can be implemented. We expect that in the new Millennium high-tech solutions ranging from cheaper food production to safer waste disposal will come about. It is very much in our interest, in the new era, to help make the world a richer, and therefore more environmentally-friendly, place to live. To conclude, the new Millennium will bring us hope in tackling such pressing issues as environmental pollution and poverty with the birth of new technology and global economic growth, and through joint efforts by all countries. (335 words)

Nowadays people rely on news and newspapers to acquire information, but are still doubtful about the credibility of the news and newspapers. Can we have faith in news reporters? What is your opinion? What kind of qualities should a good reporter and news personnel possess?

Newspapers provide an excellent means of keeping readers well informed on current events. They also play a vital role in shaping public opinion. So, being a good newspaper reporter, he should have some fine qualities to be counted on. As to newspaper readers, I think they should read the press with a critical and analytical point of view. Informing the public is the journalist’s chief duty. Reporters represent the public at events that most people cannot observe themselves. To be good journalists, therefore, they should have an obligation to be accurate and to tell all sides of a story. They should also have the responsibility of deciding which events have enough importance or news value to be reported. Many people, however, do not have the background knowledge or specialized information needed to understand complicated issues in the press. For this reason, journalists should not only report the news, but they should also explain and analyze it through interpretive reporting. In reporting on a speech by a foreign leader, for example, a journalist might analyze what effect the speech could have on the foreign policy of the respective country. However, many people do not have much faith in the press because they believe that the press sometimes acts irresponsibly and the political views of management and journalists often influence what they decide to report and how they report it. Some people even have doubts about the credibility of the news they read because they believe that the press often creates a false impression of an event by emphasizing its spectacular or unusual aspects. In addition, the press sometimes produces its own “media events” by providing mass coverage of minor or insignificant stories. To conclude, today’s newspapers are printed and read more than any time in the past. Therefore, newspaper reporters should have more obligations to be accurate in reporting news, and always be loyal to the readers. (316 words)

The world of work is changing rapidly. Working condition today is not the same as before and people no longer rely on taking one job for life. Discuss the possible causes of these changes and give your suggestions on how people should prepare for work in the future.

The uncritical view that is prevalent at present is that people can no longer expect a job for life. I think this conception holds true due to two major factors that influence the stability of jobs – development of high technology and economic recession. The argument in brief is that in future, for most people there will be more than one kind of ability needed, and that a man may possess both the qualities of a chef or of a mechanic. Each person will have to pursue several careers during his life, so that he will not become technologically obsolete, with skills that are no longer needed. Constant change in technology means that varied and changing career is a must for all, even if they would prefer to remain in just one occupation. Indeed, large corporations sometimes make it a policy to move their men from one job to another. This is the protean man of the future, having several different lives and having a variety of work-experiences. On the other hand, modern economies have alternated between periods of boom and bust, or expansion and recession. When a recession comes, unemployment will rise. The off-post people are faced with the present stern circumstances and the future severe challenge. The only solution to get out of this dilemma is to acquire new knowledge and skills through further learning or training. For example, they may learn computer techniques. These are especially useful as machinery has increasingly been computerized, and personnel who know how to use a computer are badly needed. To sum up, in future most people will need to be retrained several times to acquire several jobs in their lifetime. The acquisition of new knowledge and skills will be necessary especially at a time of recession. (294 words)

We have been living in the nuclear age now for over half a century. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. But critics point out that nuclear technology applied to peaceful purposes is too dangerous to use. What is your opinion?

Nuclear power is a controversial energy source; it is inexpensive and creates no air pollution. Some critics believe that the release of nuclear waste has already injured the environment and affected the human race. On the other hand, tremendous efforts have already been expended, and vast sums of money spent, in disposing of nuclear wastes, and in working upon means to do so more advantageously. We need to admit that the products of nuclear fission are so new, so deadly in minute quantities that they produce a kind of awe, even among the men who know most about them. A few pounds of them scattered around might make a continent uninhabitable for five thousand years. They are simply too dangerous to be ignored. However, the nuclear power plants originally were, and remain at the national level. They will never become as numerous as automobiles, or even as numerous as factories. Moreover, from the beginning, they have operated and they will continue to operate under unified and national control. In the future, increasingly, nuclear power plants together with laboratories and some industrial processes will produce highly dangerous and long-enduring nuclear waste. Fortunately, it will be of comparatively small bulk, nothing to compare with sewage and even with garbage. In addition, the radioactivity of some of this material declines rapidly with the ever-advancing nuclear technology. In conclusion, nuclear power has its great potentiality with its cheap and clean energy, and the release of nuclear waste can be properly handled. But even with that in mind, it is, in my opinion, too hasty to reach the conclusion that nuclear technology applied to peaceful purposes is too dangerous to use. (276 words)

We have been living in the nuclear age now for over half a century. Since the first atomic bombs were developed, nuclear technology has provided governments with the ability to totally destroy the planet. Yet the technology has been put to positive use as an energy source and in certain areas of medicine. To what extent is nuclear technology a danger to life on Earth? What are the benefits and risks associated with its use.

These days, many people are afraid of nuclear technology because of the dangers associated with its use. In my opinion, though it is true that nuclear weapons pose the greatest threat to life, the use of nuclear technology for peaceful purposes also carries some serious risks. Nuclear power stations provide an important source of cheap power for many industrialised nations and some developing countries. However, there is always the danger of radiation leaking from these plants. Even though safety precautions are taken, there have been numerous disasters such as the explosion of a nuclear plant in Russia not long ago. Nuclear technology is even used to help cure some diseases such as cancer. Radiation can be applied to the body to burn away cancerous cells. This is, however, a dangerous procedure and the application of radiation is almost always painful, but not always successful. The most worrying aspect of nuclear technology, though, is its use for military purposes. Too many countries now have the technology required to make such bombs and there is currently much debate about how to control the situation. In conclusion, nuclear technology certainly has positive uses, but is nonetheless dangerous. However, it would have been better if it had never been used to create nuclear weapons. If life on Earth is to continue, all the nuclear nations of the world should agree to disarm as soon as possible. (232 words)

Discuss some of the problems encountered by overseas students studying the English language in an English-speaking country such as Britain and possible solutions.

Overseas students studying English in an English-speaking country such as Britain may encounter some problems that can be divided into three main categories: psychological, cultural and linguistic. In the first place, some psychological problems really involve fear of the unknown, for example, whether one’s academic studies will be too difficult, whether one will fail the examinations, etc. It is probably best for a student not to look too far ahead but to concentrate on increasing his knowledge. The overseas student in Britain may also suffer from separation from his family and homesickness; enjoyment of his activities in Britain and the passage of time are the only real help. Then, in terms of the cultural problems, some of them are of a very practical nature, e.g. arranging accommodations, getting used to British food and weather. Others are related to the British way of life. Such difficulties include: settling into a strange environment, learning a new set of social habits, and learning how to make friends, etc.. However, being open-minded and adaptable is the best approach to some of these difficulties. The largest category is probably linguistic. When a foreign student first has the opportunity to speak to an English-speaking person, he may have a shock: he often has great difficulty in understanding since he has had little chance of using the language in his own country. In order to overcome this difficult, a foreign student can benefit from attending English classes, and if the language lab is available, use it as much as possible. He should also listen to programmes in English on the radio and TV. Perhaps most important of all, he should take every opportunity to meet and speak with native English-speaking people. In conclusion, overseas students are inevitable to encounter some problems while studying in an English-speaking country, but these problems, psychological or otherwise, can be surmounted through persistent efforts. (312 words)

In certain countries children are not allowed to leave school until they reach a certain age, for example, in some countries it is 15 years. Should there be a minimum school leaving age, or should students and their parents be free to decide when they leave school?

The practice of school leaving age varies from country to country. In my view, however, there should be a minimum school leaving age, say, 15 years, and students and their parents should abide by this regulation. To start with, in some developing countries, there is a considerable number of illiterates or semi-illiterates. In order to put an end to illiteracy there is an urgent need to raise the overall educational level of the whole nation, especially that of the school-age children, Therefore, it is necessary for the government to work out a policy in relation to a minimum school leaving age. For example, in our country, we have implemented a 9-year compulsory education system, that is, school-age children are obliged to attend school from the elementary level to that of junior high, up to 15 years, and the tuition during these years’ schooling is free. This policy greatly encourages students to attend school and lightens the burden on their parents in paying tuition. The second factor that concerns the minimum school leaving age is based on the interrelationship between economy and education. Any kind of education is based on economic power of a nation, yet the popularization of education in turn helps promote further economic development. So, setting a minimum school leaving age might be one of the effective ways to achieve this goal, and this will also provide more opportunities of employment for individuals. The development of education in recent years in China is a case in point in stimulating its economic development. To sum up, stipulating a minimum school leaving age is necessary if the country wishes to raise the overall level of education for the whole nation and to further develop its economy. This benefits the country as well as individuals. (294 words)

Although abuses of the system are inevitable, social welfare payments are essential to protect the rights citizens have to a guaranteed income in a democratic society. Discuss.

Social welfare is an indispensable element of an advanced society. However, it is inevitable to be abused like any good system. To my mind, social welfare payments are necessary to protect the rights citizens have to a guaranteed life. First of all, critics might forget the fact that there are still a certain number of disadvantaged people who have to depend on society for one reason or another. Their negative opinions harm those who are not capable of earning a wage, such as single-parent mothers, the disabled, and the sick. Moreover, the unemployed have the right to an income, too. They are not always at fault for not having a job, and in most cases, the contributions they made to society and the tax they paid in the past entitle them to assistance. However, certain members of society believe that people should look after themselves. They point out that welfare increases dependency on others. This may be true, but in the case of the unemployed, the relief payments are usually temporary and serve to prevent unemployed persons from undergoing severe hardship and to get the unemployed back to work. It is surely the fault of the government if they are long-term unemployed. Welfare critics also believe that it is the responsibility of a victim’s family to provide financial assistance. Nevertheless, it is too expensive for the family to provide complete help for a severely disabled person. To conclude, it is vital to understand the need for welfare in a modern democratic society. Without welfare payments, the poor are destined to become poorer. The first duty of a government is to provide a financial safety net for all disadvantaged persons, and that includes those without work. (287 words)

Some people say that students are under great pressure, some coming from their parents, and others from teachers. Comment on this phenomenon.

Nowadays, children encounter more stress than ever before either from their parents or from teachers. This phenomenon is, to my mind, derived from the following two factors, namely broken families, and parents’ and teachers’ excessive expectations. First of all, modern life exposes people to many stresses, particularly for children. Divorce and separation bring stress into the lives of children. As a result of family disruptions, increasing numbers of children may grow up in a fatherless or motherless home. If divorced or widowed people get remarried, quarrels between the new couple over their children are sources of conflict. Children naturally have mixed feelings about their new family. Children who were very close to the single parent may feel displaced and jealous because the stepparent has a special and private relationship with their parent. Another stress is derived from the fact that many parents have great expectations on their children and urge them to take university entrance examinations after their senior year in high school in order to enter university. In addition to that, those parents have urged that teachers be required to prove that they teach well because they believe that the quality of teaching has a direct effect on how well students learn. Therefore, teachers should be responsible for their students’ academic achievements. And teachers, in turn, have to rely on tests to see if students have achieved desired learning goals, thus shifting their heavy burden onto their students with endless tests or examinations. Some students find taking tests extremely stressful. They often ask how much the test counts and if their performance really reflects their knowledge of the subject. To sum up, educators and parents should be aware of the great stress imposed on the students, and the negative effects it may bring on their minds and bodies. (299 words)

Discuss the effects of widespread television viewing.

Television ranks as a major influence on people’s lives. It affects the way people spend their time and what and how they learn. In my opinion, TV has a greater influence on young people than on adults. A typical adult spends more time watching TV than doing anything else except sleeping and working. Watching TV ranks as the most-consuming leisure activity among adults. It takes time away from other activities, such as reading, conversation, social gatherings, and exercise. Since TV takes up viewers much leisure time, it contributes greatly to what home viewers learn. It benefits people by widening their experience. They can watch government officials perform important functions, and see how people in different lands look and live. On the other hand, TV also may contribute to harmful impressions of the world. One of these is formed from viewing the violent crime-filled world shown on TV. This may leave on people an impression of an unfriendly world, of an evil world. Young people, however, seem to be more easily affected by television. Parents have long been concerned about the amount of time young people spend watching TV. Some studies have shown that watching a lot of television is linked with poor performance in school. Though these studies do not prove that TV viewing actually causes students to perform poorly, watching television may simply be an activity preferred by young people who do poorly in school. Moreover, televised violence often encourages some young people to behave aggressively. In conclusion, television has already been an inseparable companion for people of all ages, who have benefited greatly from watching it, but TV viewing should be, somehow, critical. (273 words)

The only way to reduce the rising numbers of road accidents is for a total ban on drinking while driving. Do you agree or disagree? Make other recommendations.

Despite continuous efforts to make automobiles and highways safer, the number of road accidents keeps rising. Though I quite agree with the viewpoint that to reduce road accidents, a total ban on drinking while driving is a must, we shall, to my mind, consider other factors that keep you away from traffic accidents. In the first place, most traffic accidents result from careless driving, so each individual motorist has the chief responsibility for safety. You can increase your safety by following common-sense rules, such as fastening seat belts, obeying the speed limit, signalling when you plan to turn, etc. Of course you shall never drive under the influence of alcohol, or if you are tired or upset. On the part of pedestrians, strictly obey traffic regulations, such as obeying traffic lights, looking both ways before you cross. You can also help avoid injury or death by crossing streets only at intersections, as many victims of road accidents are hit while crossing a street in the middle of a block. Furthermore, people are much safer when using public transportation than when riding in private vehicles. The drivers of buses, trains and other vehicles used in public transportation are trained to protect the safety of their passengers. As is known, the accident rate for public vehicles is extremely low. Passengers can help lower the accident rate even further by not distracting the driver of the vehicle with conversation. To sum up, in order to avoid road accidents, motorists as well as pedestrians should always bear in mind traffic and driving rules and never venture to violate them in any circumstances. (268 words)

With the development of market economy, advertisements have become a dominant feature in television industry. There still exists strong criticism against TV advertisements. Write an article analyzing the positive and negative effects of TV advertisements.

Advertising makes up an important part of commercial television. However, in my opinion, it has both the positive and negative effects on our economy and society. First, TV advertising helps manufacturers sell their products and benefits consumers by providing them with visual shopping information. It also helps the economy grow by stimulating demand for new products. Through advertising on TV manufacturers can speed up the process of creating a market for new products. However, advertisers include the expense of advertising in the sales price of a product, thus shifting the extra cost onto the customers. Perhaps the most important effect of TV advertising is its social contribution. Advertising pays all the costs of commercial television. It provides viewers with free entertainment and news programs, though viewers are often irritated by commercial interruptions. But dependence on advertising lowers the quality of TV programming. In order to sell advertising time at high prices, TV stations try to attract the largest possible audience and, therefore, broadcast many general entertainment programs and not enough informational and cultural programs. On the other hand, advertising persuades people to buy products they do not need through the use of psychological techniques though adults can freely choose what to buy or what not to buy. However, advertising is particularly persuasive to young children, who do not have the ability or experience to judge advertising critically. To sum up, TV advertising greatly influences our economic and social lives, but money spent on advertising on TV can be more profitably used to stimulate manufacturing industries and to further improve TV programs. (261 words)

Waste disposal presents problems, especially in urban areas. How do you think it is true and give some suggestions for the government and individuals on how to reduce the rubbish being producing.

There are almost as many ways of attempting to get rid of garbage as there are cities making the attempt. However, to my mind, urban waste disposal seems to be producing problems. Among the still-approved methods are those of burning and feeding the garbage to animals. But open burning is expensive; it makes use of the atmosphere as a dump and produces more smoke. The feeding of the garbage, unfortunately, is found to spread a deadly disease for hogs and risks for consumers. Mere dumping, on the other hand, has been the simplest and commonest means of disposal of garbage. Yet, as land values soar in urban cities, there is simply no room for garbage dump. Some large cities have already reached a point of crisis. The more advanced method of disposal for large cities known as “dump-and-cover” actually helps to create eventual space, not to destroy it. The land thus treated is not suitable for the building of homes for a long period of years. As to what should be done, then, I think the removal of the causes or sources of garbage would seem to be the right approach. Two basic causes - population and urbanization have to be controlled by the government for the purpose of lightening the disposal problem. On the other hand, the control and restriction of the production of new materials has already been practiced, and will have to become commoner. The problem involving the individual, such as junk and litter, might be better solved by trying to change his attitude through education, but also by supplying better means for him to pass his refuse on, and even a slight financial motive. To sum up, there is no really satisfactory method of disposing urban wastes. All are expensive and produce problems. Perhaps prevention rather than cure should be the approach in certain phases of the problem. (314 words)

Waste disposal presents problems, especially in urban areas. How do you think it is true and give some suggestions for the government and individual on how to reduce the rubbish being producing. (Simple version)

Rubbish has become a big problem because of increasing population and urbanization and there are many ways of waste disposal to deal with it. However, in my opinion, waste disposal presents problems in urban areas. First, people use the methods of burning and feeding the garbage to animals. But open burning is expensive. It also produces smoke and pollutes the air. On the other hand, the feeding of the garbage to the animals sometimes causes animals to have diseases and people will get ill after they eat their meats. Second, dumping is another way of waste disposal. It is simple and common. Yet, because the land in cities is becoming more expensive, it is a waste of land to treat rubbish this way. Another better method of waste disposal is “dump-and-cover”. It is not good either because the land for “dump-and-cover” cannot be used for the building of houses and people do not want to live on the rubbish underneath. Still another method of waste disposal is dumping on the sea. It is even worse because it directly pollutes the seawater. So what can we do then? First of all, I think the government should control population increase and urbanization to reduce rubbish. On the other hand, the government should not allow some factories to produce things that will pollute our environment. To the individuals, they should not throw away rubbish everywhere and educate their children to do so. If everybody does so, the world would have less rubbish. To sum up, waste disposal causes problems and costs money. Maybe prevention will be a good method to reduce rubbish. (269 words)

Many people believe that zoos should be closed because it is too cruel to keep animals in the zoo, and the zoo has little contribution to society. But others think that the zoo brings happiness to people, especially to children. What is your opinion?

Visiting zoos is a popular recreational and educational activity throughout the world. However, some people criticize the ill treatment of animals in zoos and call for zoos to be shot down. In my opinion, zoos are important for various reasons and should not be closed. First of all, zoos are important centers for recreation and education. People of all ages enjoy viewing animals they would probably never see otherwise. Zoos also help people understand how animals live and teach them about the problems facing wildlife and about conservation. In many zoos, trained workers give visitors brief talks and provide guided tours as well. The second reason is that wildlife conservation has become one of the most important jobs of zoos. Zoos breed many endangered species to increase their numbers. Such captive breeding in zoos has helped save several species from extinction. Zoos also participate in conservation projects outside their walls to preserve the natural habitats of threatened species, such as the bamboo forests of the giant panda in China. The last but not the least is that zoos also provide scientists with living laboratories in which to study animals. By treating diseased animals, zoo experts and other scientists have developed and improved medical equipment, drugs, and surgical techniques for animals. Scientists study animals in zoos to learn about animal behavior, such as hunting, eating, breeding, and caring for the young. Such research helps zoos know how to better care for their animals and how to make their habitats as natural as possible. All in all, the importance of zoos in conservation and science cannot be ignored. However, some substandard zoos should improve their treatment of animals though many zoos meet high standards of care. (285 words)

计算机 Globally, we have moved from a culture centered on network television, cable, AM and FM radio and telephone into a digital society with mass media,streaming information, intelligent computer. To shift to a digital economy, best demonstrated by the explosive growth of the Internet, is transforming everyday products and practices. Ideas expressed in soft wares, chips, communication systems, financial institutions and mass media have enormous leverage worldwide. Beyond emails and online shopping, the Internet promises to change dramatically huge spectrum activities. Its benefits can be well illustrated in the following aspects. In the first place, it contributes to escape us from laborious work, save our time, facilitate our lives. Secondly, with computer's extensive reach into every corner of the world, a perspective of human life can be shown only with a single keystroke. No matter where we are, in school, business workshops, operating rooms, labs, banks of halls of government, the Internet appears to reflect a perspective of human life. Furthermore, computer profits us by relaxation and entertainment it provides. But on the other hand, some people debate that it is also inconvenient, waste the time, isolated us from people only with the company of computers, and make our lives more complicated. Some people repair the most sophisticated computer but can't mend a pair of socks. Yet in fact, computer collapse the distances and demolishes all boundaries. Whether computer is a blessing or a curse, depends on different circumstance and the way you use it. As a new millennium approach, we look forward to constructing a new fantasyland by combination with the wealth this new age will bring and the high technology it will provide. (277 words)

Advanced medical technology can extend the life of the sick and aged to well beyond the age of 70. Discuss the possible causes of increasing natural life span.

Life expectancy varies from country to country. In general, the industrialized nations have the highest life expectancy, and the developing countries, especially those in Africa, have the lowest. The causes for different life expectancy are, to my mind, due to differences in medical technology and public health, and standards of living. First of all, higher living standards have resulted in the increase of natural life span. Most people in industrial nations enjoy a healthier, more comfortable life than any other people in developing countries. For example, in 1900, the average U.S. life expectancy was 47 years, largely because many people died in childhood. Today, the average life expectancy for Americans at birth is about 75 years. Almost all this increase has come from reducing infants' deaths through public health practices and better health care and nutrition. On the other hand, advanced medical technology can also extend human’s life-span. In industrially developed countries, most people can get high-quality medical care when they need it, thus reducing the death rate, especially among the sick and aged. Moreover, modern techniques enable the surgeon to operate successfully upon all parts of the human body. For example, a surgeon can remove a long section of diseased intestine and sew the remaining intestinal sections together. The body will function normally after the operation. In addition, many medical researchers are studying on preventive strategies as part of public health programs, such as adequate exercising, eating a balanced diet, and avoiding alcohol and cigarettes. Such strategies can help lower death rates and prolong life expectancy. In conclusion, with the advancement of technology, people’s life quality has been greatly raised, and with better living standards and health care, people’s life expectancy is sure to extend. (286 words)

Some people think that the animals should be treated as pets; others think that animals are resources of food and clothing. What is your opinion?

The current hot issues concerning animals include the one of raising animals for food and clothing or raising them as pets. My view favours the latter that animals should be raised as pets. We human beings have great obligations to animals. The use of animals for food or for fur coats or leather products simply deprives them of their right to survival. Moreover, we do not need to eat animals for survival. Instead, we should treat them humanely. A better way of doing this is, in my opinion, to raise them as pets. People in all parts of the world keep animals as pets for various reasons. First, pets can make interesting, playful companions. Pet owners often consider their pet to be a member of the family. Many children spend more time with their pets than they do with adults. By caring for pets, children learn responsibility. They must see that their pets have food, exercise, and a proper place to live. Pets also can contribute to a person's general well being. Research shows that being with animals can improve a person's morale. Many people look and feel more relaxed while with their pet. Many people living alone in nursing homes or in hospitals enjoy community programs that bring pets to visit. Today, many such institutions keep cats, birds, fish, and other pets for their residents. In addition to providing companionship and well being, many pets also serve other useful purposes. Dogs hunt, guard property, and assist blind people. Cats often keep homes free from mice. In conclusion, animals are human’s friends and companions, and their rights should be observed. Pets’ raising is a better way of protecting animals, and what is more, it brings happiness and benefits to human beings. (289 words)

In traditional societies, children have always cared for their parents in their old age. However, in modern societies this is often not possible because children frequently have to move away from their hometown to seek work. Therefore, companies should be responsible for providing for their employees when they retire. How far do you agree or disagree with this argument? Give reasons for your answers.

With the breakup of traditional communities, people in modern times are forced to take more responsibility for their own well-being. However, this does not mean that companies should be responsible for people in their old age. Traditional communities tended to be centered around one industry, textile industry, for example. Yet as industry modernised, and companies relocated to city outskirts, people found they had to travel further to work. However, when people do choose to leave their hometown in order to seek work, they often do so out of choice, not because they have to. Although it can be argued that people are forced to leave their hometowns to seek work, when people do choose to move to another town or city, or, indeed, to the city from a rural area, it is in pursuit of wealth. Therefore, people themselves should take responsibility for their own families. Indeed, if people are in a position to earn much higher salaries than they were previously able to do, then it is of no great matter to provide for their aging parents financially. Besides, modern transport, which, in relative terms, is at least affordable for most people, makes regular visits to one’s family a real choice, allowing a degree of pastoral care as well. A problem that arises, should companies be made to shoulder the responsibility, is one of salaries. Any care provided for people in their own age is likely to be considered part of a person’s earning, thereby lowering salaries. However, if people make provisions for themselves – private pension schemes, for example – they will retain more control over their own lives. This would also have the added benefit of boosting the economy. In order to maintain a healthy economy, it is important that companies operate profitably. However, if extra financial burden is placed upon companies by forcing them to care for the elderly, then ultimately, the economy may suffer, and along with it the people of the country. (326 words)

Many parents use physical punishment to teach their children the difference between what is right and what is wrong. Many think physical punishment is necessary to help children learn the discipline. To what degree do you agree or disagree?

Today, many parents still regard physical punishment as a reasonable way of changing children’s behaviour or to teach them discipline. However, I entirely disagree with their belief and I hold that their seemingly well-intended way of teaching only leads to child abuse. To start with, parents or adults alike who hurt children think that they only intend to correct them or teach them to distinguish right from wrong. But they do not realize how easily children can thus be injured in their minds and bodies. What is even more serious is that abused children might grow up to be abusive adults, a development referred to as the “cycle of abuse”, though the abused children do not necessarily become abusers as adults. Second, some parents who resort to domestic violence might have another deeper cause, namely stress, but they do it under the pretext of so-called “correction or discipline”. For example, parents who are unemployed, very isolated or under great stress for other reasons are more likely to abuse children than parents who do not have such problems. Furthermore, children who are difficult to care for or with disabilities would create more stress for parents. Thus, such children are more likely to be abused than are other children. Therefore, a better solution to the problem of child abuse is preventing family member from becoming isolated or stressed. Community counseling services can help relieve many of the stresses that lead to child abuse. In conclusion, gone are the days when the familiar remark “ To spare the rod is to spoil the child” was on parent’s lips. Today, however, child abuse has gained major attention since it affects family relationships and social stabilities. It is the responsibilities of people in medical, psychological, social, and even legal professions to help control child abuse. (300 words)

59 The threat of nuclear weapons maintains world peace. Nuclear power provides cheap and clean energy. The benefits of nuclear technology far outweigh the disadvantages.

Nuclear technology has been widely applied mainly in two ways in modernized world: nuclear weapons and nuclear power. Yet, the debate on whether these applications are beneficial or harmful to mankind has been going on ever since its birth. But to my mind, the balance tips to its advantages In terms of the application of nuclear technology in making nuclear weapons, the dropping of A-bomb at Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the Second World War and the world peace has been maintained up till now. Furthermore, the signing of Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-ban Treaty in 1996 becomes a powerful check for further testing and manufacturing of nuclear weapons to guarantee a peaceful world. The problem is how to determine whether a country is planning to apply nuclear technology to make weapons or nuclear power when it is building a nuclear reactor. As for the peaceful use of nuclear technology, nuclear power has been expansively used as a cheap and clean energy. Take France for example, three quarters of its electricity relies on it. The significance of nuclear power is far-reaching, especially when world energy resources have been running out, though we cannot neglect the threat of radioactive leakage from reactors. But that threat could be avoided with the improvement of nuclear technology and its management. In conclusion, nuclear technology has benefited mankind with its various applications in weapons to maintain world peace and nuclear power to sustain life. We may predict that its benefits will be greater along with advancement of its technology. ( 250 words)

60 Prediction of Task Two Compositions for May-June 2007 ielts tests

1. As the development of modern science and technology, some aspects of traditional culture are being lost, so some people think that the traditional culture and technology will be replaced by the modern science and technology such as computer or Internet. What is your opinion?

Every human society has a culture that includes arts, customs, languages, etc. Every culture changes along with the passage of the time and the causes for these changes, in my opinion, are partly due to the development of science and technology. The development of modern science and technology has especially led to changes in traditional culture and technology. The invention of telephone, for example, produced great changes in the way people communicate with each other. The invention of the computer and Internet in the mid 20th century has also had great impact. They have brought about far-reaching changes in communication, education, businesses, entertainment and many other areas of our modern life. However, modern science and technology will in no way replace traditional culture. Artists may adopt some modern methods, such as CAD technique to draw and to make sculptures, but their works still carry their individual style. Many young people are now using much simpler computer language to communicate via Internet, but its use is limited to some groups of people. As for traditional technology, it goes without saying that it will certainly be replaced by modern science and technology as it is a law of nature with the outgoing of the old accompanied by the incoming of the new. Take the development of train for example, from the early steam locomotive to diesel and then to diesel electric locomotive. In conclusion, modern science and technology will enrich traditional culture but never replace it. Yet, traditional technology is another story. (250 words)

2. Nowadays people rely on news and newspapers to acquire information, but are still doubtful about the credibility of the news and newspapers. Can we have faith in news reporters? What is your opinion? What kind of qualities should a good reporter and news personnel possess?

Version A Newspapers provide an excellent means of keeping readers well informed on current events. They also play a vital role in shaping public opinion. So, being a good newspaper reporter, he should have some fine qualities to be

61 counted on. Informing the public is the journalist’s chief duty. To be good journalists, therefore, they should have an obligation to be accurate and to tell all sides of a story. They should also have the responsibility of deciding which events have enough importance or news value to be reported. Many people, however, do not have the background knowledge or specialized information needed to understand complicated issues in the press. For this reason, journalists should not only report the news, but they should also explain and analyze it through reporting. However, many people do not have much faith in the press because they believe that the press sometimes acts irresponsibly and the political views of management and journalists often influence what they decide to report and how they report it. Some people even have doubts about the credibility of the news they read because they believe that the press often creates a false impression of an event. In addition, the press sometimes produces its own “media events” by providing mass coverage of minor or insignificant stories. To conclude, today’s newspapers are printed and read more than any time in the past. Therefore, newspaper reporters should have more obligations to be accurate in reporting news, and always be loyal to the readers. (250 words)

Version B Newspapers provide a good means of keeping readers well informed on current events. They also play an important role in shaping public opinion. So, being a good newspaper reporter, he should have some fine qualities to be counted on. Informing the public is the reporter’s main duty. To be good reporters, therefore, they should have a duty to be accurate and to tell all sides of a story. They should also have the duty of deciding which events have enough importance or news value to be reported. Many people, however, do not have the background knowledge or enough information needed to understand complicated issues in the press. For this reason, reporters should not only report the news, but they should also explain and analyze it through reporting. However, many people do not have much faith in the press because they believe that the press sometimes acts irresponsibly and the political views of management and reporters often influence what they decide to report and how they report it. Some people even have doubts about the credibility of the news they read because they believe that the press often creates a false impression of an event. In addition, the press sometimes produces its own “media events” by providing minor or insignificant stories to readers. To conclude, today’s newspapers are printed and read more than any time in the past. Therefore, newspaper reporters should have more duties to

62 be accurate in reporting news, and always be loyal to the readers. (250 words)

3. Some famous films stars or athletes earn high salaries, but some public welfare personnel such as teachers and nurses earn low payment. Do you think it is reasonable for this phenomenon?

Some people think that famous film stars and athletes have too high salaries for their work. However, others believe that these people deserve such high salary. Personally, I think that famous stars and athletes have a great impact on our social life and make a big contribution to our society and, therefore deserve high salaries. First, we all need them as entertainment plays an essential role in our everyday life. We need to relax, watching TV with our favorite TV stars or favorite football players. Entertainment is one of the best ways to eliminate stress and tension and leave all troubles behind. For example, I cannot stay home all day long without watching TV. So basically, I believe that famous stars and athletes have such high salaries because we need them. The second reason for this is that famous athletes have to work hard in order to get good results. Sometimes they even risk their lives and health in their routine practices or in competitive games. Muhammad Ali, the three time world heavyweight champion is now suffering from Parkinson’s disease that makes his speaking difficult. Or Jet Li, the martial art world champion and the famous film star who has countless wounds left in his body. I think such people deserve to have a high salary and be loved by many people throughout the world. In conclusion, I want to say that if people get high salaries it means that they are needed and their contribution to society is great. (250 words)

4. Does modern technology make life more convenient or was life better when technology was simpler?

Modern technology has made our life more convenient, but it has also created serious problems. These problems have arisen mainly because modern technologies are put to use without considering some possible effects. In terms of the effect of modern technology on individuals, people find that they can perform everyday tasks more conveniently. An example of this is the availability of cash machines. On-line purchase also changes the way people go shopping and invention of B-to-B module penetrates almost every branch of the business world. All these save people the time, energy and resources, yet alienate them from the reality. Lack of communication between people leads to the language barrier. In Germany, one quarter of the children are found to have the language barrier, resulting in the unhealthy development of their personality,

63 Modern technology presents enormous challenges as well. One of the chief challenges is to combat environmental pollution. It is one of the most harmful effects of industrial technology. Motor vehicles cause most of the air and noise pollution, and factory smoke and wastes also contribute greatly to air and water pollution. Another is to tackle technological unemployment it has created as a result of automation extensively introduced into many industries. All in all, we might well come to the conclusion that with the advancement of modern technology, our life is becoming comfortable and convenient, but we cannot neglect its negative effects. After all, preference of going back to the old days with simpler technology will certainly favored by few. (250 words)

5. Tourism is a multibillion dollars industry that supports economic development. Some people think that it causes damage to local environment and culture, so what is your opinion?

Version one Tourism has become a multibillion dollars industry. But what damage it has brought about to the local environment and culture is little known to some people. To bear this in mind, let us look into some facts to illustrate my viewpoint on the issue. Jiuzhaigou is a famous scenic spot in China. In 1998, the number of tourists reached 385,000. They brought profits to the locals, but that also caused the destruction of the ecological balance, the water and soil erosion and large quantities of solid wastes. Another case is Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This world's largest coral reef ecosystem is now disappearing due to many factors, one of which is tourism. Still another is our hometown – Hangzhou. The locals who have lived there for generations are voicing for a peaceful environment. As tourism expands, its impact on local culture is inevitable. The incoming of foreign values, money and goods changes the cultural landscape, forcing locals away from their traditional lands, lifestyles and heritage. Resorts and hotels often overconsume natural resources such as water and power, forcing utility prices up and causing blackouts and water shortages for locals. It is not purely ecosystems which are damaged by the pressure of consumption, but also ancient monuments or heritage sites. In conclusion, tourism is a flourishing industry, and to preserve it we echo the advocacy of "eco-tourism", tourism that will not damage nature but enable the local communities to gain economic benefits from conserving the natural resources, environmental and cultural. (250 words)

64 Version Two Tourism is acknowledged by many people as a multibillion dollar industry. But some people still think that it causes damage to the local environment and culture. I have some mental reservations on this negative view. Many successful experiences demonstrate that the development of tourism can realize the “win-win” of the economic development in the locality. It can improve the well-being of local inhabitants and provides jobs for many people. Take Hangzhou for example. It earned 237 million dollars through its tourism industry last year. Another case is Suzhou, one of the four key tourist cities of China. In 2006 the city received 20.1 million domestic and foreign visitors. The income from tourism is near RMB 20 million. Another demonstration is the large recreational and cultural value of ecosystem services which is sufficient to attract local government authority’s attention to reconsider its development idea. It helps to accelerate a city’s construction. For instance, in coming three years, RMB 120 million will be invested into Jiuzhaigou, the site of the world natural heritage, in returning the beauty of the scenic area to the original. And Zhejiang Province planned to invest 990 million US dollars in the next five years to develop 10 tourist projects on the ocean. Furthermore, tourism supports cultural diversity that might otherwise disappear and cross-cultural contacts with foreigners also promote friendship and goodwill. In conclusion, our tourist dollars can do much of often unrecognized good – not only by helping financially, but by placing public value on local culture and heritage. (250 words)

6. Should criminals be punished with lengthy jail terms or re-educated and rehabilitated, using community service programs for instance before being reintroduced to society?

Version A Prisons function as a means of punishment for crimes. I think it is justified to punish criminals with lengthy jail terms. However, to rehabilitate them might be a better solution in transforming them into good citizens. Among the multipurpose of the prison is to remove criminals from society so they can no longer harm people. Moreover, the service of the lengthy jail sentence could provide warnings to people thinking about committing crimes, or discourage them from breaking the law. However, prisons of today face some problems. Overcrowding ranks as the major one. Lack of adequate funding making improvements difficult in prisons is another. In addition, tensions between prisoners and the prison

65 staff often run high in some prisons. Such conditions have contributed to prison riots, such as the one in Brazil. The current concern with the problems of prisons has helped focus public attention on the debate about their purposes and effectiveness. Studies have shown that merely to jail criminals fails to reduce the crime rate or to prevent people from breaking the law. For this reason, I believe that it would be more effective to rehabilitate criminals. This may include providing educational courses in prison, teaching job skills, and offering counseling. We can even allow light offenders to remain out of prison to perform various public services in the community. To conclude, imprisonment with lengthy jail terms is necessary to keep criminals from committing further crimes, but what is more important is to help transform them into law-abiding citizens. (250 words)

Version B Prisons function as a means of punishment for crimes. I think it is right to punish criminals with lengthy jail terms. However, to rehabilitate them might be a better solution in transforming them into good people. Among the purposes of the prisons is to remove criminals from society so they can no longer harm people. Moreover, the service of the lengthy jail sentence could provide warnings to people thinking about committing crimes, or discourage them from breaking the law. However, prisons of today face some problems. Overcrowding ranks as the major one. Lack of enough money making improvements difficult in prisons is another. In addition, tensions between prisoners and the prison staff often run high in some prisons. Such conditions have resulted in prison riots, such as the one in Brazil. The current concern with the problems of prisons has helped focus public attention on the debate about their purposes and effectiveness. Studies have shown that merely to jail criminals fails to reduce the crime rate or to prevent people from breaking the law. For this reason, I believe that it would be more effective to rehabilitate criminals. This may include providing educational courses in prison, teaching job skills, and offering counseling. We can even allow light offenders to remain out of prison to perform various public services in the community. To conclude, imprisonment with lengthy jail terms is necessary to keep criminals from committing further crimes, but what is more important is to help transform them into law-abiding citizens. (250 words)

66 7. Will modern technology, such as the Internet ever replaces the book or the written word as the main source of information?

Modern technology has opened a new era of a paperless world in business, education and our daily life. In this short article, I would like to state, in brief, my point of view on this issue. E-commerce and paperless trade result in wider use of information technology. Its low costs and high speed have greatly influenced international trade. Take Japan for an example. 90% of its export and import are carried out through the customs automation system. In China, Guangdong is implementing paperless operation of tax refund. Besides, electronic contracts are now drawing attentions of businesses. In the field of education, a “paperless classroom” is what more and more schools are trying to achieve. Many countries use e-books as student textbooks in every school instead of paper-based books. Electronic textbooks not only protect our environment, but students also save money on textbooks because all textbooks can be stored as one e-book reader. It is believed that e- books should replace textbooks in the future. In our daily life, e-books are becoming more popular among youngsters than ever before. People can download e-books and read them on electronic readers. Many mobile clients have an e-book reader function on it and can use it to read anytime everywhere. In fact, we experience modern technology every day. For instance, we pay money by credit cards. In conclusion, modern technology is penetrating our life in all aspects. A paperless world without using the traditional books and writing is not far away to be a reality. (250 word)

8. Young drug abuse is a serious problem nowadays in many countries. What are the reasons for this and what can be done to combat it?

Version A Youth drug abuse is a serious problem and it is on the rise nowadays in many countries. The causes for this behavior can be traced to family and social factors. Parents who drink and smoke to excess are, in effect, telling their children that it is acceptable to abuse their bodies with drugs. Consequently, they may have a similar view towards illegal drugs even if their parents are against it. In addition, drug use shown on TV and in films can only confuse children who are also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong. The pressure on young people to perform well at school in order to compete for jobs is another cause of the problem. They often turn to drugs as

67 a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressure they face in society. Furthermore, the widespread availability of drugs means teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment. Then, what can be done to combat it? I think governments should lay strict laws and render severe punishment to convict illegal drug dealers. Another sensible way to solve this problem is to educate young people about the dangers of drug use and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed upon them. And parents should set a positive example for the young, and at the same time tell them to leave away from drugs. To conclude, as drug abuse is poisoning our young generation, we need joint effort of governments, communities, families and individuals to combat it. (250 words)

Version B Young drug abuse is a serious problem and it is on the rise nowadays in many countries. The causes for this behavior are due to family and social factors. Parents who drink and smoke too much are, in effect, telling their children that it does no harm to abuse their bodies with drugs. As a result, they may have a similar view towards illegal drugs even if their parents are against it. In addition, drug use shown on TV and in films can only confuse children who are also taught at school that drug abuse is wrong. The pressure on young people to study hard at school in order to compete for jobs is another possible cause of the problem. They often turn to drugs as a means of expressing dissatisfaction with the pressure they face in society. Furthermore, as drugs can be easily bought and sold, teenagers are faced with the temptation to experiment them. Then, what can be done to combat it? First of all, I think governments should lay strict laws and severe punishment to combat drug dealers. Another way is to educate young people about the dangers of drug use and to take steps to reduce the pressure of competition placed on them. And parents should also set a positive example for the young and tell them to leave away from drugs. To conclude, as drug abuse is poisoning our young generation, we need joint effort of governments, mass media, families and individuals to combat it. (250 words)

9. With the development of market economy, advertisements have become a dominant feature in television industry. Describe the rich information brought by TV. There still exists strong criticism against TV advertisements. Write an article analyzing the positive and negative effects of TV

68 advertisements.

Version A Advertising makes up an important and inseparable part of commercial television. However, to the best of my knowledge, it has both the positive and negative effects on our economy and society. TV advertising helps manufactures sell their products and benefits consumers by providing them with visual shopping information. It also helps the economy grow by stimulating demand for new products. Through advertising on TV manufacturers can speed up the process of creating a market for new products. However, advertisers include the expenses of advertising in the sales price of a product, thus shifting the extra cost onto the customers. Perhaps the most important effect of TV advertising is its social contribution. Advertising pays the cost of commercial television. It provides viewers with free entertainment and news programs, though viewers are often irritated by commercial interruptions. But dependence on advertising lowers the quality of TV programming. In order to sell advertising time at high prices, TV stations try to attract the largest possible audience and, therefore, broadcast many general entertainment programs and not enough informational and cultural programs. On the other hand, advertising persuades people to buy products they do not need through the use of psychological techniques. It is particularly persuasive to young children, who do not have the ability or experience to judge advertising critically. To sum up, TV advertising greatly influences our economic and social lives, but money spent on advertising on TV can be more profitably used to stimulate manufacturing industries and to further improve TV programs. (250 words)

Version B Advertising makes up an important part of television industry. However, to the best of my knowledge, it has both the positive and negative effects on our economy and society. TV advertising helps manufactures sell their products and benefits people by providing them with vivid shopping information. It also helps the economy grow by encouraging demand for new products. Through advertising on TV manufacturers can speed up the process of creating a market for new products. However, advertisers include the expenses of advertising in the sales price of a product, thus shifting the extra cost onto the customers. Perhaps the most important effect of TV advertising is its social one. Advertising pays the cost of television programs. It provides viewers with free entertainment and news programs, though viewers are often unhappy with long advertising time. But dependence on advertising lowers the quality

69 of TV programming. In order to sell advertising time at high prices, TV stations try to attract the largest possible audience and, therefore, broadcast many general entertainment programs and not enough informational and cultural programs. On the other hand, advertising attracts people to buy products they do not need through the use of beautiful pictures on products. It is particularly effective to young children, who do not have the ability or experience to judge advertising critically. To sum up, TV advertising greatly influences our economic and social lives, but money spent on advertising on TV can be more profitably used to encourage manufacturing industries and to further improve TV programs. (250 words)

10. It is wrong that our government pays more money to the artist projects, for instance, there are more and more paintings and sculptures appearing at the public places because there are more important things to do. What is your opinion?

Version A Much discussion concerning the allocation of public resources assumes that the government should spend money on more important things, such as medicine and education rather than on artist projects. In my opinion, this issue should be examined from the angle of whether the investment benefits the great majority of the population. The institutions of medical care and education, as we might refer to as more urgent needs for the people, should receive priority in the allocation of a government’s expenditure at the thought of millions of children from deprived background who now get a substandard education, and who would require a relatively high quality of education if they are to enjoy anything approaching equality of opportunity in their later life. Another pressing need of society is improvement of Medicare for the adult poor, for the aged, and so forth down the list. Artist projects are institutions for promoting human culture. To exhibit paintings and sculptures designed and worked out by professional artists at public places is an exciting and stimulating experience for many art-loving people and visitors, especially at a time when people are better off and long to enjoy high-level artist works to satisfy their spiritual needs. Can we say that this is unnecessary public expenditure the government should ignore? In conclusion, today man is becoming ever more aware of his spiritual needs. Medicine and education are needs that we recognize, but are contacts with paintings and sculptures at public places also basic needs that the government should spend money for? (252 words)

70 11. Some people think that it is more important for a single language as an international official language; others think that it will make it difficult to identify countries and loss of culture. What is your opinion? And show your reason and examples.

Version A Language is the main means of communication between peoples. But so many different languages have developed that language has often been a barrier in understanding between people. Therefore, I think it is important to have a single language as an international language, but I equally believe that its promotion is difficult and may result in the loss of culture and identity of countries. The arguments in favor of a universal language are simple and obvious. If all people spoke the same tongue, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and understanding might increase between countries. However, promotion of an international language is too difficult. As we know, learning a language depends on the age of the person learning it. Before the age of 10, all languages are equally easy when learned by the natural speaking method. After 10, learning a language becomes more difficult. Then, could we turn to the adoption of an existing language, such as English, French, or Chinese, as a universal language? The adoption of a language would greatly simplify communication. The real problem, however, lies in the choice of such a language. The chosen language would force the culture of one nation on all other nations and possibly the loss of a country’s identity. Therefore, the possibility of adoption of one world language appears dim. In conclusion, to have a universal language will certainly remove the barrier in enhancing understanding and promoting cultural and economic ties among nations, but its promotion is hard and may result in the loss of a nation’s culture or even its identity. (262 words)

Version B Language is the main means of communication between peoples. But so many different languages have developed that language has often been a barrier in understanding between people. Therefore, I think it is important to have a single language as an international language, but I also believe that its promotion is difficult and may result in the loss of culture. The arguments in favor of a single language are simple and obvious. If all people spoke the same language, cultural and economic ties might be much closer, and understanding might increase between countries. However, promotion of an international language is too difficult. As we

71 know, learning a language depends on the age of the person learning it. Before the age of 10, all languages are equally easy when learned by the natural speaking method. After 10, learning a language becomes more difficult. Then, could we turn to the use of an existing language, such as English, French, or Chinese, as a universal language? The use of a language would greatly simplify communication. The real problem, however, lies in the choice of such a language. The chosen language would force the culture of one nation on all other nations. Therefore, the possibility of use of one world existing language is few. In conclusion, to have a universal language will certainly remove the barrier in increase understanding and cultural and economic ties among nations, but its promotion is hard and may result in the loss of a nation’s culture or even its identity. (250 words)

12. Some people say that the increasing business and cultural contacts between countries have the positive effect; others say it would lose the country’s identities. Do you agree or disagree?

Today’s world is advancing towards globalization in economy and multiculturalism. To my mind, this phenomenon is positive in many aspects, rather than what some people fear would lose a country’s identity. First of all, global business means more business transactions between countries, but more businesses would, to some extent, lose a country’s identity if the country does not adhere to the traditional business and culture. China, for example, has been doing businesses with ever more countries in recent years. However, we can still find some incidences of too much influence on industry, such as the extensive use of American-made software in our business transactions. As for cultural exchanges between countries, they would only enrich a country’s culture. Now In China we can watch different kinds of cultural performances held annually in many parts of the country, signified as international cultural fairs, such as the one held in Hangzhou not long ago. But the Chinese people still love and preserve their own cultural heritage, such as Peking Opera; yet there are some reforms in our traditional cultural performances influenced by alien ones. An example of this is our Peking Opera that has been transformed into one in English rather than mandarin and in its accompanying music as well. All in all, increasing world businesses and cultural exchanges would certainly render positive effect on countries concerned, but these can, to some extent, influence some aspects in a country’s identity in business and culture. (241 words)

72 13. Which is the measurement of a country’s success? Some people say it is people’s life quality; others argue that it is the rich economy. What is your opinion?

It has long been a hot issue of what kind of manifestations of a country’s success should be. In my point of view, its determinant factors lie in 3 respects: sustained development of economy, harmonious working and living environment and people’s passion for improving life qualities. Sustained economic development is, in any sense, a strong and convincing manifestation of a country’s success. With its long-term flourishing economy as a solid economic foundation, a country lacks no resources in building a strong national defense, hastening its modernization process and improving people’s living standards. Another factor for a country’s success should, as far as I can see, be directed to its harmonious working and living environment. This is a strong guarantee for sustained development of one’s economy. Without it, manufacturing would be interrupted, management in chaos and life in misery. A government facing such a situation can, in no way, realize its promise of offering a better life to people and its political achievement is a total failure. Moreover, people’s passion for improving life qualities can be attributed to a still another manifestation of a country’s success. This passion is a drive for people to work diligently and creatively. As is known, any wealth gained represents an achievement of human wisdom and effort. Once a state vault is full, so is people’s pocket. To sum up, a country’s success involves wise policies of a government, healthy environment for working and living, and enthusiasm of the whole nation for a better life. (250 words)

6-2-2007 Many developing countries are increasingly expanding their tourist industries. Why is this the case? Is it a positive development?

1/3 – 08

What two subjects do you think are the most important to be taught at school and what subject is the least important to learn?

Schools offer different subjects for students. They are all important. But if we

73 examine them according to their importance and applications, we might find that math and English are the most important and biology the least.

In terms of importance, math has great importance as it is the basis for many other subjects, such as physics, chemistry and computing. Besides, it has many applications in finance, commerce, or banking, etc. The other most important subject is English. Its usefulness and applications are beyond arguing, especially when we are entering a globalized economy. Without it, international trade and commerce may not be so smooth and effective. Furthermore, it is useful in traveling abroad and in communication with people from different countries.

As for the biology, I would take it as the least important subject because its importance is not as great as math or English. Without it, we may acquire the knowledge from different areas, such as Natural Science Museum, where there are exhibits of samples of all sorts of animals on land, in the air or in water, insects beneficial to crops and people or not, and different kinds of plants. Also we can get knowledge via traveling inland to different parts of the country or abroad if our finance and time permit. On the second hand, its application is quite limited.

To conclude, all subjects taught at school are important; but if we want to give rating to them, they might be classified according to their importance and applications. (250 words)

7/7 - 07 In some countries, schools aim to provide a general education across a range of subjects; in others children focus on a narrow range of subjects related to a particular career. What is your opinion?

28/4 - 07 What is the present situation for students to take a part time job in your country? What are the advantages and disadvantages?

3/3 - 07 Some people believe that students should be divided to be taught according to their academic abilities; others hold that students should be lectured in the same class disregard of their academic performances. What is your opinion?

23/2 – 08 Nowadays some countries have transported a wider variety of foods. What are the benefits of this?

Transportation of foods in wider variety has great benefit to an importing country as well as to an exporting one in their economic value and social stability.

In terms of the social value, some regions or places on Earth produce more foods than they consume and vice versa. Besides, food production is often subject to the change of weather, or natural calamities, such as flood or drought. Through transportation, foods are moved from where there are surpluses to where there are shortages so that people living in those areas where food produce is scarce or hit by unforeseen weather change or otherwise may import food to feed the population and stabilize food prices and thus society.

As for the economic value, the demand for transportation of foods is derived from the need for them to be at a particular place. In satisfying this need, it gives foods greater value. This practice makes it possible for exporting countries to send their surplus foods to where they can be profitably marketed. On the other hand, it, in turn, benefits the importing countries in the development of the construction of roads, airfields, harbors, and other transport facilities for the convenience of importing foods and thus facilitates inland transportation system for their future domestic economic growth. Moreover, transportation of wider varieties of foods means more varieties of foods for choice for the people of the recipient nations.

To sum up, transportation of foods benefit not only the importing countries as well as exporting ones. (250 words)

11/8 - 07 The range and quality of the food have been improved by the advancement of science and technology. Are you for and against it? And present your own views.

The advancement of science and technology has, to my mind, improved food, such as crops and livestock in their range and quality; but I still have some mental reservations on the improvement of the food in its taste...

The increasing pace of technological change in the 21st century makes it difficult to place recent developments in farming and animal husbandry into perspective. Discoveries by scientists at the institutions of agriculture have played a major role in the growth of farm output and more food varieties. The scientists have also reformed crops to fit the needs and demands of consumers, processors, and machine cultivation. Moreover, stockbreeding experiments have produced domestic animals that provide more or higher quality meat, milk, and other products than did previous varieties.

However, one drawback of the use of science and technology on food lies in the fact that its taste is sacrificed. Crops, such as rice, corn and maize, and livestock, such as swine, sheep and cows, may require a shorter period of time for growth or breeding with a great deal of scientific content in farming and management, but may not have

75 the same taste as did their previous varieties due to the use of fertilizers for plants or the feed for livestock added with chemicals to stimulate its growth.

In conclusion, science and technology have improved the range and quality of the food to feed the growing number of world’s population, but we should not do it at the cost of sacrificing its taste. （250 words）

16/6 - 07 Fast food has its negative effects on both families and society. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

Since the founding of McDonald’s and Kentucky Fried Chicken in 1955, fast food has spread across the global and its negative effects on families and society have been accompanied with its steps. I agree to this view, but still have some mental reservations on it.

In terms of its negative effects on families and society, fast food has somewhat changed the way of family’s dietary habit - frequent fast-food meals with high fat and low nutrients. This may result in obesity for family members, a potential probability of heart disease and other health problems. On the other hand, young couples, especially, may find an easy-going way of inviting friends to eat out in one of the fast food outlets as a token of social gathering.

But things may not look that black. A meal of a cheeseburger and a milk shake, though high in fat, does include foods from each of the groups in the food pyramid. Besides, fast-food meals, though, require some thought about fat and calories, is one- man’s choice, depending on its items ordered. For instance, the calorie content of a typical fast-food meal ranges from 900 to 1,800. A burger has about 600 calories, but a plain cheeseburger has only about half as many, and a plain hamburger even less.

To conclude, although most fast-food meals are high in fat and low in nutrients, consumers may choose chicken or fish as lower-fat alternatives to avoid its negative effect and do less harm to the family and society. (250 words)

1/3 – 08

What two subjects do you think are the most important to be taught at school and what subject is the least important to learn?

Schools offer different subjects for students. They are all important. But if we examine them according to their importance and applications, we might find that math and English are the most important and biology the least.

In terms of importance, math has great importance as it is the basis for many other

76 subjects, such as physics, chemistry and computing. Besides, it has many applications in finance, commerce, or banking, etc. The other most important subject is English. Its usefulness and applications are beyond arguing, especially when we are entering a globalized economy. Without it, international trade and commerce may not be so smooth and effective. Furthermore, it is useful in traveling abroad and in communication with people from different countries.

As for the biology, I would take it as the least important subject because its importance is not as great as math or English. Without it, we may acquire the knowledge from different areas, such as Natural Science Museum, where there are exhibits of samples of all sorts of animals on land, in the air or in water, insects beneficial to crops and people or not, and different kinds of plants. Also we can get knowledge via traveling inland to different parts of the country or abroad if our finance and time permit. On the second hand, its application is quite limited.

To conclude, all subjects taught at school are important; but if we want to give rating to them, they might be classified according to their importance and applications. (250 words)