107)Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Others believe that higher education should be available only to good students. Discuss these views. Which view do you agree with? Explain why.


Some people believe that a college or university education should be available to all students. Other people take the view that higher education should be available only to good students. While both methods may have their advantages and disadvantages, they can be applied under different circumstances. Afterwards, I will explain my opinion about it.

For every student, having the opportunity to being educated in a college is truly a good news. If a country can afford higher education to each of its students, we can call it a great country, because education is the power which enhances a country's economy. America, Germany and other countries which have highly developed education give us good examples. But this also demonstrates that offering higher education to every one does not mean that a country can receive the corresponding profit from its investment. Is it a truth that each student who receives higher education can eventually become a qualified graduate who can find a suitable place in the society?

Moreover, offering higher education to every student will result in the decrease of the educational efficiency. Suppose that if everyone can go to college without any restrictions, the campus will be crowded, the library will have less space for students and lose its calmness. Teachers have to face hundreds of heads in the classroom. We couldn't expect any good educational quality from such condition.

Making higher education available to good students, on the other hand, is no doubt an efficient way. Limiting the quality of the students is like selecting good mineral source. Only locating the miner in a potential place can we get what we need. For example, in Germany, students of different levels go to different schools. Those students who is promising have the chance to enter university for higher education. Under this circumstance, various schools produce various competent persons serving in various places of the country.

In my opinion, offering higher education to good students is better than to every student in two ways: First, it can keep the quality of the high education from decreasing. Second, it will help the development of the economy by producing excellent graduates who is available in different parts of the country machine.


106)You need to travel from your home to a place 40 miles (64 kilometers) away. Compare the different kinds of transportation you could use. Tell which method of travel you would choose. Give specific reasons for your choice.


If had to travel 40 miles away from my home I would be considering the following means of transportations: a car, bicycle and bus. Every of this methods of transportation has advantages as well as disadvantages. In this essay I will analyze all of them and present my view in favor of traveling by a car.

Traveling by bus brings many benefits. First of all, one does not have to drive. So, I can just relax and enjoy the view from my window. Second of all, it is cheaper. I will not have to buy gasoline or pay for the car insurance. However, traveling by bus has a few disadvantages as well. For example, I will have to follow the bus schedule. Another important aspect, I will not be able to arrange the speed or make a stop when I need to.

From the other hand, traveling by bicycle is a great exercise. Secondly, it is pollution free. However, It can take too much time and at the end of my trip I will be tired and exhausted. In addition, I will most likely need a shower and some rest.

In contrast, traveling by car brings many advantages. First of all, I can arrange my speed as I want to. If I am in a hurry I will speed up a little. Otherwise, if I am not in a hurry, I can make some stops and enjoy the surroundings or have a lunch in the nearest bar. Second of all, I do not depend on a schedule like with traveling by bus. So, I can start my trip when and where I want to. In addition to those practical benefits, traveling by car is the fastest way. Another important aspect of this if I am traveling with my friends, we can talk, listen to the radio we like and discuss everything we want. A car can give us privacy. Of cause, I will have to pay for gasoline and traveling by car is not as save as traveling by bicycle or bus but I think it can not change my mind.

To sum up, I think that I would choose to travel by car. It is more convenient and offers a great amount of advantages.



105)Students at universities often have a choice of places to live. They may choose to live in university dormitories, or they may choose to live in apartments in the community. Compare the advantages of living in university housing with the advantages of living in an apartment in the community. Where would you prefer to live? Give reasons for your preference.

I think it's better for college students to live on-campus their first two years, and then move into an apartment off-campus their last two years. Freshmen and sophomores need the stability of campus life, while juniors and seniors need the independence of off-campus life. Students' needs change over four years, so their housing should too.

Living on-campus makes it easier to get oriented to the way things are done. You get the whole university experience. Plus, you interact more with other students. This includes not only your roommates, but everyone in your dormitory. The older students in the dormitory can be a big help for the new students. Keeping up with studies your first year is hard enough. You shouldn't have to worry about finding your way around and figuring out the university bureaucracy.

Living in the dormitory also makes a student feel more apart of the university community. There are more opportunities for becoming involved in university activities and networking with student leaders and university administration. Living off-campus, however, is a definite advantage for older students. Finding an apartment, dealing with leases and the landlord's regulations, cooking meals, and figuring out budgets are all good practice for life after graduation. This kind of independence helps older students grow into adulthood.

Off-campus housing also gives students a better perspective on what's going on around them. Campuses can be like little worlds of their own. There are few children or older people and everyone is focused on education. Getting to know neighbors who aren't students is good for students coming from different places. It's a chance to find out what other people think and feel.

I think a combination of two years on-campus and two years off-campus is a winning combination for most students.



104 It is generally agreed that society benefits from the work of its members.Compare the contributions of artists to society with the contributions of scientists to society. Which type of contribution do you think is valued more by your society? Give specific reasons to support your answer.

Basic to any social development in the 20 years after 1980s in China is the deeply recognition of the people, which is the gradual process of thinking a lot of the existed value of the scientists and the artists. Scientist or artist, who is the domination, makes people difficult to choose. The purpose of my issue is to provide sufficient evidence, details and examples from various perspectives to substantiate effectively and efficiently that significance of scientist is grossly greater.

To live, the most basically living requirement is food, clothes and place to live, which their entire source is the intelligent inventions of the scientist but not those of artist. Undoubtedly, fantastic paintings of Georgia O'Keeffe, wonderful music of Bach, moving dramas of William Shakespeare and the like which are the top articles in the world, make us live a life that full of beauty, wonder and fantasy. However, when we feel hungry or cold, no thing including music, painting, drama and so on, is greater impact our mind than the fresh bread or the down jacket, not mention to the person who create the articles----the artist. At this time, the person who invent and improve the farming machine to make crops strongly grow, the oven to bake the delicious bread, the machine to produce cloth, the scientist, will be appreciated, praised and thanked to. Because we can not live without food and clothes but can the articles.

The articles and the artists are only the talking topics while we sitting in front of the furnace, having coffees after dinner and the like, not in the time we facing problems in working or in living. Once we meet a difficulty in doing something, the idea that solve the problem in a science method or look for help of scientists, spark at first in our mind. For example, a complex and confused math subject makes me extremely exhausted, the first and only thing I want is a calculator which can work it out by pressing a few buttons in seconds. Meanwhile, my favorite Bach, Mozart, Shakespeare and their articles are all out of my mind and have no help with it.

Therefore, the significance of the scientists among the contributions for human beings is more considerable than that of artists because the science has the superiority that the art can not surpass in the basic life of people




103)In your opinion, what is the most important characteristic (for example,honesty, intelligence, a sense of humor) that a person can have to be successful in life? Use specific reasons and examples from your experience to explain your answer. When you write your answer, you are not limited to the examples listed in the question.

Although honesty, intelligence, and a sense of humor are all worthwhile characteristics, I feel the most important one in life to have is sensitivity. A sensitive person is aware of him/herself and the way their actions affect others. A sensitive person knows the place of honesty, intelligence, and a sense of humor.

Honesty is not always the best policy. There is such a thing as a white lie. You don't want to insult someone by saying that their new dress doesn't fit properly or that you wouldn't live in their new house if they paid you. You must be sensitive to when it is necessary to tell the truth and when it is better to tell a white lie.

Intelligence is a wonderful thing to have, but not all intelligent people use their intelligence sensitively. You don't want to show off and make others feel stupid. You must be sensitive to the reactions of the people around you. It might be appropriate for you to admit that you have the right answer, but in some cases, you might have to say, "I think this is the answer, but we might want to check it." A sensitive person would not make someone else look dumb.

A sense of humor is always valued. Different people, however, laugh at different things. You don't want to make someone feel uncomfortable by laughing at his/her mistakes. A sensitive person would understand whether a person could be teased or whether a person would appreciate a certain joke.

A sensitive person would make everyone feel comfortable. A sensitive person understands that people are different and that the values of honesty, intelligence and humor can be applied differently.


102)Schools should ask students to evaluate their teachers. Do you agree or disagree? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

I think it's a good idea for schools to ask students to evaluate their teachers. This informs teachers of how students react both to their teaching methods and to them as individuals. Teachers can weigh the criticisms and change what they think needs to be changed. Praise from students is also valuable. It can reinforce teachers' opinions about how they're teaching and give them confidence.

It's also helpful for school administrators to hear what students think about their teachers. It keeps administrators in touch with what's going on in the school. It also gives them some idea of which teachers effectively reach the students. However, good administrators know that student evaluations need to be reviewed with a keen eye for prejudice and adolescent attitudes. After all, an evaluation is a good way for students to get back at teachers who expect more of them than they want to give.

Evaluating teachers is also a good exercise for the students. They have to organize their thoughts about what they think of their teachers. In that way, they pinpoint for themselves what they expect of those teachers. They begin to understand what they value in a teacher and what is phony or useless. Evaluating their teachers is also a way for students to think about how they would evaluate themselves. Are they working as hard as they should in class? Is that why their teachers are sometimes critical of their work? Isn't that what a teacher should do-push us to try harder? Thinking about these things can help students do better in class. At the very least, they will understand better what is expected of them.

Student evaluations of teachers also make students feel as if they have a voice in what happens in their schools. It makes them feel as if they're pan of the education process when their opinion is valued by the administration. Finally, it teaches them responsibility.


101)Some people like doing work by hand. Others prefer using machines.Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Many people like to work by hand, in contrary, machine can do numerous great jobs better than human. In my opinion, working with machine has several advantages, such as: safer, neater, and quicker. Machines have offered several jobs that are impossible for human to do.

When people work by hand, the risk of damage is very high. If they don't pay attention carefully during work, parts of body can gone. For example, long time ago, employees of a cannery in steveston, canada, worked by hand. In fact, it was very common that the employees lost their fingers, hands, and other parts of body. Eventually, machines were introduced to the cannery, and, the number of injury people began to decrease.

People can get tired, frustated, bored, or other conditions that affect their work, whereas machine can't. When machines are used, they will produce the same products without any damage. On contrary, no one can make two identical products by hand. There must be a different, whether in shape, condition, size, etc.

Lastly, machines have evolved greatly. They can make any product in vast speed. Probably, when making massive products, no one can rival the speed of machine, even the expert one. When one person can make a pair of shoes by hand per hour, machine can do ten times more.

In conclusion, machines have many great features that are imposible for human to compete it. They have many briliant features, such as: security, neatness, and speed. Thus, working with machine allows people to do better than working by hand.


100)Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology. Other people disagree and think that this money should be spent on more basic needs. Which one of these opinions do you agree with? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Some people think that government should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology, while others do not. As far as I am concerned, this money should be spent on some more basic needs, such as protecting the environment and improving the public service.

In the first place, nowadays the pollution of environment has become the main concern in the advanced society. The research said that human being would not find the clean water to drink if they did not do some work to keep their water clean. There would be no fresh air if every people in the city drive car to go and from work. And there would be no more wild animals if people let the forest be destroyed like what is to be done now. For example, the forest, which is the main habitat of the various animals, has been destroyed. More and more wild animals face the danger of extinction because of the shortage of habitats. Therefore, there are more basic things that a successful government should do such as keeping the water clean, keeping the air fresh, and keeping the animal healthy.

In the second place, some public service, such as the public transportation in the city, also is a big problem. The bus in the rush hours is overcrowded; some people cannot go to work on time because they do not catch the regular bus; some commuters spent too much time on the bus or train because of the traffic on the road. Consequently, government should spend more money to improve their public transportation, which will benefit their people a lot and benefit them instantaneously.

From what I have discussed above, everyone can see that there are more things a government should do than buying computer, such as protecting the environment and improving the public service. Therefore, I think a successful government should spend more money on the basic demands of their people instead of spending as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technology.


99)You have been told that dormitory rooms at your university must be shared by two students. Would you rather have the university assign a student to share a room with you, or would you rather choose your own roommate? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.

I'd rather have the university assign a roommate to share a room with me. As far as I'm concerned, this is part of the university experience. Students should meet new people and be open to new experiences. I like leaving this up to chance.

Actually, even though the university will choose, it's not totally a matter of chance. We all filled out information sheets. The school knows what we're majoring in, what our interests are, and our study habits and our goals. I think they're probably very good at matching roommates using this information. They've had a lot of practice. Besides, if a mistake is made, I can change my room assignment next semester.

If I did want to choose my own roommate, I'd first pick some candidates from the list supplied by the university. Then I'd write to them and they'd write back. Through our letters, we'd find out if we shared common interests, such as sports or movies. More importantly, we'd find out if we liked doing the same things in our free time. Because of my investigation, I'd probably get someone compatible with me. It's a lot of work to go through, though. Besides, the process of finding similar interests isn't all that different from what the university does.

Trying to predict whom I'm going to get along with is not a science. I might choose someone who sounds just like me and still find that the two of us just don't get along as roommates. Besides, I think it would be boring to room with somebody who's just the same as me. I'd rather be with someone who has different interests and likes to do different things. Maybe I'd even get a roommate from another culture. After all, one of the reasons I'm going to the university is to be exposed to a lot of new experiences.

So, I'd rather have the university choose my roommate for me.


97)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teachers should be paid according to how much their students learn. Give specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Some communities have decided to base evaluations of teachers on students' test scores. It's these evaluations that determine how much teachers will be paid. I don't think this is a very good idea for several reasons.

First of all, if teachers' salaries are going to be based on how much students learn, then some teachers will start to teach their students only what they need to get high test scores. This means that students will miss out on a lot of education that can't be measured on a test. For instance, one of the best methods to help students understand a subject is encouraging them to discuss it. A common practice is to divide the class into groups, have each group discuss the subject, and then have them report back to the whole class. This kind of shared learning can lead to a fuller understanding. It also teaches students how to discuss and debate ideas. However, it doesn't supply facts to show off on a test.

Another problem with basing teachers' salaries on how much their students learn is that teachers may ignore students who have learning difficulties. Some students learn more slowly than others and need more personal attention. If a teacher is worried about tests, he may feel he has to push the majority of the students to cram facts. That effort will take all his time. He won't be able to help the less able students.

It's true there are teachers who "burn out" after many years teaching and just don't care how much their students learn. Basing their salaries on their students' test scores may improve their efforts. However, it's not fair for the majority of teachers. They deserve and need to be judged by other criteria.


96)People have different ways of escaping the stress and difficulties of modern life. Some read; some exercise; others work in their gardens. What do you think are the best ways of reducing stress? Use specific details and examples in your answer.

Stress is one of our biggest enemies. It affects our health, our personality, and our relationships with others. In order to get rid of stress, I first have to identify the cause. I have different antidotes to stress depending on the cause. The most common types of stress I face are with work, with friends, and with myself.

Work-related stress is the easiest to combat. I simply stop working for a while. If I find myself picking up the same piece of paper four times a day and never doing anything with it, I blame stress. If I find- myself staring at the computer without finishing a report, I blame stress. The best thing to do is to do something else. Sometimes, I get up from my desk and go down the hall to talk to my colleagues, but I don't talk about work related subjects. Other times, I will take a short walk around the block and get some fresh air. Work-related stress can be cured by getting away from the work.

Stress caused by friends is more difficult to cure. Often the cause is more complicated. My friends could have a personal problem that causes them and me both anxiety. Or my friends could be angry at me or vice versa. Here, the cure for stress is talking about the problem and being with my friends. Unlike work, you can't walk away from your friends.

Stress I cause myself is also not so easy to get rid of. If I feel bothered by an exam or anxious about the future, there is very little for me to do. I just have to tell myself that I can only do my best and leave the rest up to fate.

It is important to try to lead a stress-free life. If you can avoid stress by walking away from it (like at work), talking through it (like with your friends) or facing it head on (like with yourself), your health, personality and relationships will benefit.


95)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.

When we see photographs of starving children, it's hard to say that we should spend billions of dollars on space exploration. But that's just what we should do. Children don't need to be starving, but we do need to explore space. Right now, we have enough money to feed every person on Earth. Children are starving because of mismanagement of resources and simple human greed. Those are problems we can solve right here on earth. That shouldn't stop our need to find out what's beyond our own solar system.

We may never make contact with whatever other species there may be out there in space. Even so, there are still two very practical and positive consequences of space exploration. One is a certainty and the other is a possibility. The certainty is medical research. Yes, we can conduct research here on earth. But much of the research done in space, for example, on the effects of gravity on bone marrow, is making a difference in medicine here on Earth. When we do research in space, we also learn more about space exploration. Also, many of the inventions that were developed for space travel have been adapted to good use on Earth.

The possible consequence of space exploration is finding another planet human beings can colonize. Overpopulation is a huge problem on our planet. People are living longer, more healthful lives, and that's a good thing. But it means there are fewer people dying and more people being born. Eventually we'll have less space, fewer resources, and major distribution problems. If we can find another planet to live on, we can relieve the problems of overpopulation on our planet.

It's a tragedy that there are human beings suffering on Earth. However, if we wait until everyone has a perfect life, we will never explore space-and that, too, would be a kind of tragedy.


94)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Dancing plays an important role in a culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Around the world, people gather to explore their emotions through dance. The dances are created as part of celebrations, as religious services, as preparation for challenging hunts and warfare and to express sorrow (less often than the other situations). Indeed, dance does play an important role within a culture and reveals a wide range of information about the characteristics of a culture. Three of the most revealing aspects of dance are the nature of the culture’s symbols and art forms revealed in costumes and equipment, the body language (moves and gestures) which give information about social contact behaviors and frequently the style of preferred music for the culture.

Ethnic dances, and certainly popular dancing, anywhere around the world have associated preferences for costumes and special clothing. Through dancing, the participants are able to reveal and express their chosen role in the garments they choose; social roles in the dance are shown public ally to the observers as well as the other dancers. Frequently dancers utilize objects like swords or sticks or hoops or musical instruments to further reveal information about their role in the social story portrayed in the dance. Items such as special headwear and jewelry are further examples of the garments that in general express preferences and culturally significant details about the particular culture.

Dancers, by the very nature of the activity, physically express beliefs and attitudes associated with their specific culture. In many dances the participants are modeling typical activities of their culture and thus imparting instructions and historical information to the audience. In other dances, one can see expressions of deep emotion: love, worship, grief, strength, anger, etc. and thus obtain clues about the inner feelings of the culture’s individuals. Dance provides an opportunity for others to witness some of the special behaviors associated with activities in the culture. Also, dance is a (usually) public statement so that observers can see how members of the culture treat those who are older members of the opposite sex, more respected members, etc.

The third aspect of dance that reveals much about a culture is the music or singing that is typically a part of the event. Observers can see evidence of the of the types of instruments characteristics of the culture, and who plays these instruments as well as how they are used -- instruments may be associated only with special events and thus transmit valuable cultural information. Frequently singing is part of a dance program, and again an observer has an opportunity to observe who is singing and the nature of the voices. I found this aspect of dance particularly fascinating during a brief time I spent in a rural village in Zimbabwe a few years ago.

Dancing is indeed a very important aspect of any culture. It provides a communal opportunity for members of the culture to artistically express emotions while acting out typical activities and concerns in their world. For outsider observers, many valuable details about the culture are revealed


93)Many students have to live with roommates while going to school or university. What are some of the important qualities of a good roommate? Use specific reasons and examples to explain why these qualities are important.

At first glance it seems very difficult for us to define what are the important qualities of a good roommate. However, after serious considerations we can see that under most circumstances, a good roommate should at least have the following three qualities.

First of all, a good roommate should be open and willing to communicate. There are always issues regarding rent, bills, food and household duties, guests, privacy, noises, sharing and borrowing, to name a few, and interests and hobbies of roommates are not always the identical. There will always be conflicts among roommates. When problems or conflicts arise, roommates must openly discuss the issue and quickly reach a solution to the problem. In addition, a successful roommate situation requires good communication. Take time to talk frequently to each other; chatting with each other helps keep up the basic relationship which can provide the underpinning for a harmonious relationship. Therefore open and willing to communicate is the first important quality of a good roommate.

Secondly, an important quality of a good roommate is considerate and understanding. A good roommate understands what you need; He is a good friend and a good listener, and offer you help when you need it. Of course, you should not depend on your roommate to satisfy all your social needs. Make other friends and get involved in activities is also important, and could leave more private time for your roommate.

The third important quality of a good roommate is that he should be a hard worker, and have the desire to do better. As we know, roommates will always influence each other in some ways. As an old Chinese proverb, one who mixes with vermilion will turn red, one who touches pitch shall be defiled therewith. So like choosing a friend, it is very important to choose a roommate who has good qualities.

Of course, some roommates eat and socialize separately and barely get to know each other. They never become friends. Still, if your roommate possesses the above-mentioned qualities, your residential life will be peaceful and enjoyable.


92)Some people prefer to live in places that have the same weather or climate all year long. Others like to live in areas where the weather changes several times a year. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

There is no denying the fact that whether to choose a place that have the same weather all year long, or a place where the weather changes several times a year is a popular topic which is much talked about. Although it seems that normally we cannot tell which one outweigh the other between these two kinds of places, they deserve some close examination. If three criteria were taken into account, I would prefer living in areas where the weather changes several times a year to living in places that have the same weather or climate all year long. There are no less than three advantages in this as rendered below.

First, varied weather or climate broadens the range of our pastimes. For example, we can go swimming in summer and go skiing in winter. If the place we live in has only hot weather all year long, like Singapore, most of us can never go skiing in our lives.

Secondly, the change of climate gives us opportunities to wear many kinds of clothes. Some say it is a waste of money to buy clothes depending on seasons. However, wearing various clothes, looking at others' fashion, and feeling the change of seasons is very interesting for me.

Thirdly, changing of seasons is good for our health. When winter comes our body's metabolism slows down, and when summer comes it speeds up, so that our body can maintain a good rhythm. Also snows in the winter can kill a lot of bacteria and bad insects, so that in the spring our chance of being infected to a disease is decreased and we can enjoy nice atmosphere and sceneries.

For these reasons, I prefer to live in areas that have several changes of weather. Only these three reasons can make a person draw the conclusion that living in areas that have season changes is better, not to mention there are more.