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.


91)If you could ask a famous person one question, what would you ask?Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

If I could ask a famous person one question, I would definitely ask about his/her opinion about life. This single question will help me to know about all the aspects of his/her personality. In my opinion, a person’s view about life and the way he deals with life play a very important role in the path of success.

Different people have different opinions about life. These opinions are somehow responsible for their success or failure in life. A successful person has always very optimistic views about life. He considers life as a period of struggle therefore; he expects good results in the future. So, a famous person’s ideas about life could motivate us to do hard work and sincere struggle.

A triumphant person is aware of the hardships and difficulties of life. That is why he knows how to deal with the adverse circumstances of life in order to obtain success and fame. After all, achieving success and fame is not an easy task. A famous person had to face many obstacles in life with firm determination for achieving his goal. Thus, only a victorious person can explain the true definition of life because he had already experienced ups and downs in life.

Moreover, this question can tell us about his approach to life. In this way, we could easily know about his character and various habits. If he regards life as the most beautiful thing then it shows that he has enough patience to bear the troubles of life. On the other hand, if he views life as the worst thing then it is evident that he does not know how to tackle the difficult situations in life and he is impatient, too.

Due to the above-mentioned reasons, I would ask a famous personality his opinion about life. The thoughts and experiences of a renowned person related to life will help us to understand the meaning of life very closely. It will also indirectly reveal to us his secret of success. Moreover, we will be able to learn about his character in detail.


89)If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history,what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

If I could travel back in time to meet a famous person, I would most like to meet and speak with Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha. If by "enlightenment" one means a complete understanding of the universe, then Buddha, having achieved "enlightenment", would be fully capable of answering all questions relating to the origins, condition, and destiny of the universe.

Perhaps the first thing I would like to discuss, upon meeting Buddha, would be the events surrounding the birth of the universe. How and why did the universe come into being? Are contemporary physicists correct in assuming that all matter emerged spontaneously from a single point beyond time and space? The Big Bang! And does this theory compliment or contradict the theories of other great religious thinkers who claimed that all life emerged from a primordial source. The "void"

Following our discussion of the origins of the universe, I would like to ask Buddha a number of questions concerning the "human condition." Why are Mankind, the planet Earth and the universe structured the way they are? What is the purpose of life? Why does existence contain such drastic opposites: love and hate, good and evil, joy and suffering?

Having gained an understanding of both the universe and the human condition, I would then like to move on
to a discussion of Mankind's destiny. What is then ultimate fate of the universe, and in turn, life? Is it true, as some great thinkers have suggested, that the universe and everything in it return to the void from which it emerged? And what about God? Is God a personal entity, as some religions claim? Or is God the impersonal source of all that exists? The impersonal source of the void!

Throughout history, intelligent men and women have thought deeply about God, fate, destiny, and the origins of the universe. The opportunity to have these questions answered by one who lived in the not too distant past, would truly be a remarkable experience.


88)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Telephones and email have made communication between people less personal. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

At first glance, this statement may sound plausible because except from personal contact, every other forms of communication, including telephones and emails, are indirect ways of communication. But shall we get a conclusion that telephones and email have made communication between people less personal? To answer this question, we should look at the following points:

First, telephone and email are more efficient ways of communication. Telephones and email are becoming more and more important for us today. We use telephones for conversations to our friends and family; we use email to transfer important information and documents, even photo and multi-media files. With a phone, we can order services and make enquires regarding a service without physically present in the place, this will save us so much time and energy. In time of emergencies, when it is impossible for us to physically go to a police station or a hospital, we can simply call 911, a emergency vehicle will come to us in ten minutes. Imagine how hard it will be for us if we do not have access to a telephone under emergency situations.

Second, telephones and email increase the chances that people communicate. Although face-to-face personal contact is more close and intimate than making phone calls or sending emails, we actually do not have much time to visit each other. Furthermore, people have their own private life. Sometimes they do not want to be disturbed by visitors. A phone call or an email message is always the most proper and courteous way to make contact with people, and are not restrained by time or occasions. For example, during the Chinese New Years, more and more people make phone calls to our friends and folks, or send electronic cards through email, wishing them a happy new year, instead of actually travel to their friends' house to make a visit.

In conclusion, telephones and email are convenient ways to communicate and can actually increase the communication between people. They maybe less personal, but they are surely more effective means of communication.


87)What discovery in the last 100 years has been most beneficial for people in your country? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

There were many great discoveries during the twentieth century but I believe that the invention of the aircraft is one of the most important among them. Aviation gives us not only the opportunity to move unbelievably fast but it’s also a great export product for my country and the new technologies’ amplifier. (THE EXPLOITATION OF NEW TECHNOLOGIES ??)

One hundred years ago no one could imagINe that it would be possible to travel from Europe to America in ten hours but now it’s common. Only aviation has made IT possible to perform such AN incredible trip. It’s also possible to provide mealS and clothes to the epicenter of A natural disaster right away using huge aircraft like THE Russian AN-225 which could carry a quarter of A million kilos.

My native country is Russia, one of the biggest MANUFACTURERS of aircraft in the world. Our air-fighters and helicopters are very popular in many foreign air forces and they are the important export product. The development and producTION of such goods IS A very difficult problem but the additional cost is also great. Since thESE high-tech products are very useful both for Russia’s prestige and for Russia’s ECONOMY.

At the beginning of the past century A plane was A woodEN vehicle with A tiny engine. But now it’s a very complicated fusion of modern mechanics and electronics AT A huge cost. The development of aviation has often caused outbreaks in other parts of technOLOGY and science from COMPLETION of space fliGHTS to the creation of new materials. Since I’m an engineer I could guess that most of the mathematical approaches, which have been used during the development OF PLANES, are very common in the THE CURRENT automobile industry.

It’s impossible to imagine the contemporary mankind without aviation. The first flIGHT of the Wright brothers LASTED only several seconds but they opened the door to the incredible world of new speeds, new distances and new possibilities.


84)Some people say that the Internet provides people with a lot of valuable information. Others think access to so much information creates problems. Which view do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

The Internet Provides people with a lot of information, but is this information valuable, or so much information create problems for us? In my point of view, every thing has its two sides, and the value of the Internet far outweighs the disadvantages it brings to us.

The Internet has been beneficial to people around the globe. My view is a commonsense one, based on the fact that the Web is a vast storehouse of information and opinion, which can be scientific, literary, political, sporting or sexual. Anyone with access to a computer and a dialup connection can unlock the door and trawl through its offerings.

The Internet can be used as a broad base of knowledge that contributes to the educational system. Students and teachers benefit from the use of the Internet, as well as administrators and others outside of formal education. Students benefit because the Internet provides a resource to supplemental information for any subject. Educators benefit because the Internet provides a vast knowledge base to prepare for topics. People are not only learning from the Internet, they are contributing and sharing knowledge through networked communities. The Internet is the advancement of education for all its users.

Internet can deliver better customer services to people. The Internet is changing the way we do business. Using Internet broadcasting, we are able to target the right audience, prepare and present a technical presentation on a popular topic, interact with new customers, and collect hundreds of highly qualified leads. As Internet companies continue to find innovative ways to leverage the capabilities of the Internet for businesses, the more we will learn how to provide optimal solutions for customers. Which in turn, will greatly benefit people.

The Internet today is a way to transfer and share information. On the whole, it is a benefit to individuals of all kinds. We do have problems surrounding the Internet that need to be solved, but as with all new technologies there are debates and opinions. Since the Internet technology is spreading, it will soon become as popular as all other forms of communication. If you have not tried it, do so.


83)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

When we look back at the history of human being during the last 200 years, we will be surprised what a amazing change modern technology has brought us. Trains and planes enable us to travel to everywhere we want. Internet and televisions, mobile phones help communicate news to everyone. New technologies provide us a new standard of living, and I state that they are creating a single world culture.

Modern technology has shortened the distance between cultures, and made the world smaller. People can travel or migrate from one place to another very quickly. They see how people in other zones dress, speak and behave. The more exposure to other traditions and customs they have, the more likely they adopt those. As a result, theirown traditions and customs are replaced comprehessively.

Another development of the impact of modern technology is on creating a similar world that makes it possible for cultures to communicate with each other. When watching TV programs, searching web and chatting through the Internet, people learn about foreign cultures and try to adopt some of those as their own. The exchange of knowledge has had a great impact on their lives. The café from Brazil, the scotch from Scotland, the cigars from Cuba, the wine from France, the American music, that appear through different medias become well-known in many parts of the world, are good examples of how modern technology influences people’s life and also creates a single world culture which according to McLuhan functions like a global village..


81)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Technology has made the world a better place to live. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Standing at the turn of the new century, we observe the twentieth century as a great advance in technology. With those advances, human lives have changed dramatically. In some ways, life is worse, but mostly, it is better. So personaly speaking, I am, and probably will always be, one of those who agree with the idea that technology has made the world a better place to live.

First of all, technology has brought with it a more comfortable life. Not only do we use aircondition and heating system during the summer and winter, but also do we take many changes in food preparation methods to make so delicious food. Due to the development of architecture and so on, living conditions are greatly improved nowadays.

Besides, the world is now more convenient to live. We can travel around by aeroplane and railway network. We can talk to each other faraway by telephone. Several score years ago, it was even daydreaming that we could today obtain information as well as commodities via Internet. The last but not the least, through the process of technology improvement, people begin to realize the fact that only reconciling with the nature can we keep a continuous development. That is why we today pay so much attention to environmental protection. Many factories have achieved economic growth without pollution under certain new technology. These cities are beginning to be very beautiful places to live in.

Instances of the same sort can be multiplied indefinitely. When taking into account all these merits we may safely arrive at the conclusion that advantages of technology outweigh any disadvantage it may bring to our lives. Though I must admit that people sometimes invent some things that threaten the lives of themselves, no one can ignore the additional convenience and satisfaction offered by technology, and just with such experience the human being forge ahead swiftly to the future.


79)Your city has decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous person in your country. Who would you choose? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice.

If it is decided to build a statue or monument to honor a famous person in my country, I would choose Mahatma Gandhi- the father of our nation. Though there are many other personalities who have contributed to the country and will be a part of the unforgettable glorious past of our country, but Mahatma Gandhi’s contribution to his country and fellowmen is irreplaceable.
 
Mahatma Gandhi was a person who made it possible to achieve independence from British rule. He believed in the principle of non-violence, which he followed throughout his life till he breathed his last. Due to his realistic approach, our country was able to free itself from the shackles of injustice and slavery.
 
Mahatma Gandhi was an advocate by profession but he spent his entire life for his country and lived a most simple and disciplined life. He invented the spinning wheel, which was meant to teach the people of the country a means of producing their own cloth for wearing instead of relying upon the foreign goods. The superior example of his simplicity and determination to achieve anything in life is an inspiration for the generations to come.
 
In conclusion, Mahatma Gandhi in my opinion truly deserves the respect of people and also the title given to him as the father of the Nation. Any monument/statue in his memory can prove to be a mark of respect for the great personality.


78)Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.

It is a fact that after becoming adults we have to go to work in order to make money. Some people think it is important for employees to know how to work with other people as part of a team while others think it is more important to be able to function independently. I think that it is more important to be able to function in a group in order to put out higher quality work and to be able to fit into the modern day working environment.

First of all, you can produce a high quality of work when working with others. There is an old saying that goes ‘two heads are better than one’. With that in mind, it only stands to reason that if you have a team of people working together towards the same goal, the results will be better. No two people think alike, so if you have a group working together, the chances are that individuals are going to come up with ideas or solutions to problems that the others in the group did not think of. Suppose you are working on a marketing team, everyone comes from different backgrounds and each worker knows the minds of different kinds of people. In that case, a marketing team is able to come up with a plan that will cover the largest segment of society. A person working alone will not understand how the majority think; thus, his or her plan will cover a far smaller segment.

In addition, it is necessary for people today to be able to function in a group. The working environment in the modern world is different than it was in the past. One hundred years ago, people could sufficiently complete the workload assigned to them because it was on a smaller scale. However, business today is global and it is nearly impossible for one worker to cover all tasks that need to be done. That is why it is necessary for people to be able to function in a group. If they are unable to do so, they will meet with little success while those who can work in a team will make advancements within their companies. In the past, taking initiative and doing everything on your own would usually ensure success, but business in the modern era is a group effort.

To sum up, while there are still careers where people can do better on their own than in a group, the majority of businesses require a team functioning like a well-oiled machine. The ability to produce high-quality work and the shape of the business world nowadays make it necessary to work as part of a team.


77)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Boys and girls should attend separate schools. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Nowadays, some may hold the opinion that boys and girls should attend separate schools, others have a negative attitude. As far as I am concerned, I agree that boys and girls should go to separate schools. My arguments for this point are listed as follows.

I agree with the statement since single-sex education provide a environment for boys and girls to concentrate on their study. Research shows that a single-sex school environment can eliminate the distraction from members of the opposite sex, and therefore is academically beneficial to students. Girls in an all-female school can establish self-esteem, and avoid the situation faced by young women in co-ed schools such as struggle to survive emotionally. They will be able to focus more on their academic curriculum, sometimes specifically designed, and prepare for their future education and career. The single-sex setting eliminates social distractions and allows for better concentration on academics.

Another reason why I agree with the above statement is that traditional gender stereotypes are often reinforced in single-sex academies. Boys tended to be taught in more regimented, traditional and individualistic fashion and girls in more nurturing, cooperative and open environments. This will develop their virtue and prepare them for their future roles in the society.

Taking into account of all these factors, we may reach the conclusion that boys and girls should attend separate schools. Of course, there are also disadvantages of single-gender education, and simply separating boys and girls does not always improve the quality of education. A lot of efforts should be made to ensure that a single-gender education system be successful implemented.


76)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Children should begin learning a foreign language as soon as they start school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

I think that children should begin to learn a foreign language as soon as they start school. Even many parents taught their children the foreign language before elementary school. It is obvious that really necessary.

People can learn a language easily when they are young. Many older people often say that they are too old to learn a foreign language. They can't remember the words or phrases even after hundreds of times reciting. It's hard for them in faith, but while it's quite different from the young. A healthy child has a better and quicker memory, so the new things he learned may not be forgotten easily with the process of time.

When you go to the primary school, you begin to learn the knowledge from your teachers. Most of them use their native language while teaching you. If you don't touch the foreign language you want to learn, the longer you receive the education, the more difficult for you to learn it. More and more opportunities to speak Chinese will affect on the consequence of foreign language study directly, unless we start learning it as soon as the school begins.

Another reason for early language study is that the young may dare to talk with foreigners and it's a very good chance to practice oral skills. As you know, many grown-ups are bashful to talk with the foreigners, but Grade One or Two students can do so very easily, for they don't care their grammar or expressions right or not.In fact, neither do the foreigners. If they start to learn a foreign language as soon as they go to school, they may also talk with each other in it. What a good chance! It will help a lot, I think.

In a word, learning a foreign language as soon as starting school is helpful and important. It's not a burden but one of the best ways of learning.


75)Some universities require students to take classes in many subjects.Other universities require students to specialize in one subject. Which is better? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

The whole point of my answer is that it is better for universities to require students to specialize in one subject. It is just what the majors are called for, even though there are a couple of the advantages of students' taking classes in many subjects.

It is a more sensible decision that universities require students to specialize in one subject. They must have known that the depth of a certain subject is infinite while both the students' energy and time are limited. It probably tells the truth. Only when a student just specializes in one subject, can he focus on it. Thus it ensures the students more likely to be a kind of expert in some subject when they are given the degrees. That is just the purpose of so-called education.

It does not mean that students have not too many classes to attend even if they just specialize one subject. There are a lot of sub-subjects or divisions of a main subject. The science of journalism, for example, can include the theories of journalism, the histories of journalism both domestic and international, the news writing skills, the interview courses and the editorials writing and so on. The students have to study all of these above course as journalism major. It does mean a lot of work to do even if students just specialize one subject.

I do not deny there are a couple of advantages for universities to require students to take in many subjects. One thing, the work places require so-called generalist today. Students who take many subjects may probably mean the opportunity of meeting that request. Another is that students who take in many subjects can also help their main subject. Thus probably can help them study what they are majoring better. Whatever the benefit it will be, however, students taking any other subjects should not interfere their main target.

In the whole, I thought that universities could allow students to take subjects as many as possible if their times and energies were available. However, I think that possibility is faint. So I have to say that it is better for universities just to urge students to specialize in one subject. After all, the main subject is already a lot of work to cope with, considering the depth and width of one subject.


74)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

answer 1)When people go on a vacation to a foreign country, they have several options on how to travel. Some people insist that the best way to get around in a foreign country should be to go in a group led by a tour guide. There are others who support the opinion that it is best to go on your own. I support the latter opinion because travelers have little control of their time with a tour guide and there is little privacy traveling in a group.

One of the reasons why I do not like to go in a group with a guide is because there is little flexibility as to time. If you are part of a tour group, you are subject to their time schedule and time restrictions. For instance, imagine you are touring Paris and stop in at the Louvre Museum. The guide will usually take you to the more famous pieces of art and give you only moments to look around on your own. However, what if you want to take your time and look around for a while? That would be impossible because otherwise you will keep the bus full of other tourists waiting. There are other examples  of these restrictions including how long you get to eat and what time you have to get up in the morning. Therefore, traveling on your own supplies more time flexibility.

Another downside to going on a group tour is that there is very little privacy. For example, imagine you are on your honeymoon, but you are traveling with a tour group. This is a very romantic time that a new couple would like to use for time with each other. However, in a group tour you are always with other people and cannot avoid spending time with the group. The group eats together, travels together and stays in the same hotels. The honeymooners get very little time for romantic dinners, taking walks together or doing other activities that honeymooners would like to do. For this reason, it would probably be better for honeymooners not to go on group tours.

In conclusion, though tour groups may be good for some travelers such as older people, I do not think they are the best way to travel. To begin with, the travelers have very little control over the use of their time because group tour schedules are very inflexible. In addition, people traveling in a group get very little privacy. If you are looking for flexibility and privacy, it is better to travel on your own.

answer 2) Whether to travel alone or in a group is an intriguing question to most of the travellers nowadays. They take into account of many external factors such as security, safety, and geography of the place before deciding how to visit that place. Although, considering these factors is important, in my opinion, ‘purpose our visit’ should be the main criteria to decide whether to travel alone or in groups.

We often visit new places for different purposes. Some of us may go to a beautiful & serene location to spend their honeymoon in private. Some may visit a city, which has historical importance, to better understand its culture and history. We often go on a vacation along with our family to take a break from our busy work and spend quality time with them.

If we want to have privacy during our visit then it is advisable to travel alone. Travelling in groups along with a tour guide will deprive us from having privacy. For example, when a couple goes on a honeymoon, they don’t want to get disturbed by others. They neither want to explore that place or town nor would they be ready to go for any adventurous trip. All that they want is to have a nice and peaceful environment to spend quality time with each other.

On the other hand, those people who go on an educational tour would like to explore the city. They may want to interact with the locale; delve deeply into city’s culture and history. Having a guide will help them in many ways. He can explain the historical importance of various places or monuments in the city. He will make sure that the group don’t miss any important places while skipping unimportant places in the city. If they can’t understand the local language then he will act as a translator and help them in communicating with local people.

Similarly, whenever we go on a vacation with our family,security and safety of our children is paramount for us. Purpose of our visit is not only to have fun with the family but to enjoy in a secure and a safe environment.Sometimes,we may need help from others incasse of any emergency.Hence it is better to travel with a group rather than alone.

While travelling alone bestows us with privacy and much needed rest, Travelling in groups is safe, secure and entrust us with more information of that area. Both types have their own merits and demerits. Hence, before planning our travel, rather than taking a blind decision, it is advisable to ask ourselves "why are we going to a place?" .We should plan our travel based on its purpose



73)Some people say that computers have made life easier and more convenient. Other people say that computers have made life more complex and stressful. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

The computer has become one of the most important inventions in human history. While some people say that computers have provided additional convenience, other people believe that computers do little besides make life more complicated and stressful. I believe that computers have primarily provided society with advantages due to faster communication and easier access to information.

First, computers have provided faster methods of communication. With society becoming increasingly more global, computers have played a significant role in the communication systems of today. Previously, communication was restricted to methods such as mail. If a businessman traveled abroad, any reports that needed to be sent were subject to potentially vast delays. With business competitiveness becoming very dependent on time, this situation was entirely unacceptable. The Internet allowed businesses instant communication. Sales personnel can send emails or instant messages to managers in any country of the world. This added efficiency makes global business possible.

Second, computers have made it possible to access a large amount of information. This amount of information allows students to complete projects with relative ease. Students doing research previously had to spend long hours flipping through books in libraries. Even spending the time doing research, students may still have been unable to find the information they were searching for. However, thanks to the Internet and the computer, anyone doing research can do so from the comfort of their own home or office. Information has become available form sources such as Google with the convenience of a single click of the mouse.

In conclusion, while some may argue that computers bring stress and too much complexity, but I believe they provide significant advantages. The rapid communication and vast information that they place at the fingertips of users are two reasons that computers make life both easier and more convenient.


72)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Grades (marks) encourage students to learn. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

There are several factors that encourage students to study harder. Some people say that grades are not useful for encouraging students to study. On the other hand, others say that grades are a primary motivator in pushing students to try harder. I support the second group of people because competing for grades helps students learn more and because grades help students measure themselves compared to a standard.

First of all, competing for grades can give students more motivation to learn. Competing with classmates helps students learn more knowledge of the subjects they study. They study more hours, do their homework more carefully and read more books in order to obtain higher grades. Sometimes, students might not be sure how much they should be studying for a subject. However, if they see their grades compared to the grades of other students, it can give them an idea of how much work they need to do. If their grade is lower than the average grade of others, that is a good clue that they need to be studying more. In this way, the students will not fall behind. If their grade is higher than the average, they will know that they are doing a good job, which will encourage them to study even more. Their grade will also encourage them to study more to achieve the same level.

In addition, grades enable students to measure themselves. The testing mechanism helps students find weak points or blind spots in their studies; thus this stimulates students to work harder. When students know that a certain percentage is required in order to pass the class, they will work towards the grade. If there is no standard, students may be lazy because they are not worried about reaching a certain percentage. No one likes to be last in the class, so if there is some sort of system of measurement, students will try to go as high up on that scale as possible. Without a grading system, students will most likely do the minimum amount of work needed to get by. However, it students can see that they are lacking in some area, they will surely make an effort to make up for the deficiency. This type of motivation is what inspires students to do well in their studies and to learn as much as possible.

In summary, it is true that grades can encourage students to learn more in their courses. They do this by instilling a spirit of cooperation among classmates and by giving students a method of measuring their strengths and weaknesses. These two benefits motivate students to do the best that they can, which is a good habit to carry into their adult lives.


71)Which would you choose: a high-paying job with long hours that would give you little time with family and friends or a lower-paying job with shorter hours that would give you more time with family and friends? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.

answer 1)Some people may prefer to have a lower-paying job as long as the job asks for shorter working hours so they can have more free time spending with their friends and family. However, I would rather be given a higher-paying job with longer hours, even if I would have little time with my friends and family. I do not much care about the free time spending with my friends and family nowadays; I really care about the money. Besides, all my friends and my family members are usually busy in working. Furthermore, if I do not earn a lot of money, I cannot spend my free time with my friends and family happily.

I really care about the money because my budget is too tight nowadays. I am so poor a student. The tuition is too high, but I have to pay it. I also have to pay my rentals of room and pay the board. I have to pay the transportation fares, the books, the clothes and a lot of daily supplies. All these seem to be a heavy financial burden to me. So, I have to look for a job that could offer me higher salary.

My friends and my family members are all very busy all day long. Some of them are busy in working; others are busy in studying. They are usually having little free time to spend with their friends and families, including me. If I were given a shorter hours job and more free time, I could not meet them frequently either. But the money I would have lost.

Besides, even if my friends or my family and I have managed to find out some leisure time to spend together, if I have not gotten enough money, where the fun will be? Any meeting or party costs a fortune, even the simplest picnic. If we have no money to be spent for our gathering, we have to just sit over there and chat. We will feel boring sooner. Knowing this, I am eager for a higher-paying job so that I can get the money ready for the meetings in the future.

For all these reasons, I would like to have a higher-paying job to support myself and earn enough money to meet my busy friends and family someday later. Although this job cannot offer me more time to spend with my friends and family now, I believe that I will compensate it after I have become some kind of millionaire in the future.


answer 2: In any society, people have to work and keep the wolves out of the door. Should I have chance to select between a high-paying job with long hours and lower-paying job with shorter hours, I would prfer to the job with low-paying and shorter hours because I want to have fun with my family and my friends after keeping the wolves out of my door.

It has been claimed that the more money you earn, the more happy you are. So this argument goes on, some people think the high-paying job with long hours is better. However, the survey indicated that the employees working in IT areas in the silicon vallege can not have time to date with their girlfriends because of their long working hours. Indeed, most of them have to work more than 15 hours every day, how could they find time to meet new friends? Althrough most of them have high salary, they have not time to enjoy the romantic stories and find the true love in their lives.

Moreover, job with over long working hours is harmful to our health. Time is fair to everyone, so working hours and our spare time are exclusive. The more time you spend on the job, the more stressful you are. Moreover, even the machine needs to be lubricated. How could human being can stand the long time over work job? In the world, nothing is more important than our health.
In addition, job with shorter working hours enable me to have time enjoy the deversity of life. With shorter working hours job, I can spend more time our my lovely baseball game, watch the movies with my girlfriends or read novel.

Anyway, only with the shorter working hours job can I enjoy the easy life and find out the colorful spirit of life. Can you image the life without the time to date with your lovely girlfriend?


70)Some people think that the automobile has improved modern life.Others think that the automobile has caused serious problems. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

There have been numerous advancements in nearly every aspect of society over the past century. One aspect of development that has a great deal of controversy surrounding it is the automobile. While some believe the automobile has greatly improved modern life, others think that it has caused serious problems that outweigh any possible advantages. I believe that automobiles have brought more disadvantages than advantages due to problems such as air pollution and accidents.

First, automobiles are a significant source of air pollution. When cars were first manufactured, few people thought of the negative aspects associated with them. Citizens were generally unable to afford them. As time progressed and assembly lines began, the overall price of the automobile decreased relatively quickly. As more people began buying cars, the use of fossil fuels increased dramatically, which is the source of the automobiles pollution. Cars emit gases such as carbon monoxide that accumulate in the air causing a variety of health problems. As an increasing amount of fossil fuels are burned, the toxic emissions build up and lead to effects such as global warming and destroying the ozone layer, which protects people from the rays of the sun.

Second, the increased use of automobiles has led to thousands of deaths annually in the US alone. Automobile usage has become common place and people often forget that it is a machine capable of inflicting great damage or death. With the advancements made in automotive technology, high performance cars have become increasing common and popular. Accidents involving either serious injury or death commonly occur due to factors such as anger, weather, a lack of skills, or carelessness. Young drivers are notorious for being involved in major accidents involving speed, alcohol, or both.

In short, it is true that automobiles have provided people with added convenience by helping them save time and travel long distances, but the negative aspects such as air pollution and traffic accidents far outweigh any advantages. Without automobile manufacturers addressing the problems of air pollution and traffic accidents, the car will always be more of a disadvantage towards society than anything else.


69)If you could study a subject that you have never had the opportunity to study, what would you choose? Explain your choice, using specific reasons and details.

In a modern society, most people are easy to change jobs. However, they may feel that they don't have much confidence when facing a new job, not because of a new enviornment but also a lack of knowledge about the new job. Due to different requirements from different backgrounds, I think vocational educatin is in need. The reasons are as follow:

Firstly, vocatinal education can help us adapt to a new environment fast. Although one is doing the same job in a field, there are also differences exsiting in different fields. For example, an English translator needs different background knowledge if he is working in chemistry and IT field. When he translates some articles or does some interpretations about IT field, he needs to know the knowledge about IT, like the technical terms. Suppose that he doesn't know any technical terms, how can he understand some special meanings of these words, or even do a translation successfully? This is the reason that he needs some vocational training about IT, such as basic skills or common terms. Once he knows more, he will adapt the new environment fast and have a confidence in doing his job.

In addition, vocational education can increase a person's value. As a humanbeing, we are learning everyday. No matter what kind of knowledge we learn, as long as they are good, we can benefit from them. This society is full of new technologies and new inventions. Of course we cannot finish learning all when we are in school. But we also cannot give up learning when starting a job. We still need to upgrate ourselves to get used to this fast-changing society. In order to achieve this goal, we need vocational education to help us. They are more practical than the knowledge we learned from schools because this knowledge you need to use everyday. Only mastering it firmly can we do the job well.

Last but not least, vocational education can help us to be promoted to a high level. As we know, a person to
be promoted to a manager or director needs to have a thorough understanding about the job and the field he is doing. By understanding the knowledge or skills he needs, he has a strong competition against other people. In other words, he has a priority to be promoted if he knows his job well through vocational education.

In short, without vocational education people use what they have already learned, but they won't focus on what kind of knowledge they should learn in order to adapt their new environments, add their values and increase their competitions. Above explanations are reasons i think vocational education is very important to us. Thus, if i could study a subject that i have never had the opportunity to study, i will choose vocational education.


68)Many teachers assign homework to students every day. Do you think that daily homework is necessary for students? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Most students in this world struggle daily with their homework. Many teachers believe that daily homework is the key to education and school success. I agree with this opinion. Here are my reasons.

First, daily homework can reinforce the knowledge students learned at school. A student cannot concentrate every minute, and remember everything that a teacher taught in class. Daily homework is the best way for students to review what he learned during the day, and study on the problems that he do not understand, and prepare for the next day's work.

Second, daily homework is the bases of succeed in exams. This is especially true for those students who are not so bright, and the only way to succeed in school is doing homework each day. Whenever the homework flags the class behavior dips, the social behavior is muddled, and the grades take a nosedive. No matter what the ability of a student, daily homework is the key to students' school success.

Third, daily homework can help students develop good learning habits. Learning is not always an enjoyable experience and students always need to spend hard time on it. Daily homework can form a kind of habit of learning for students. Once a habit is formed, learning is not such a painful thing and a student can find it more and more interesting. Obviously this will greatly benefit to a student.

In conclusion, daily homework is crucial to students' success. Life requires us to keep learning in order to catch on with this fast pacing society. A good learning habit and method that we developed when we are students can benefit us for the rest of our life.


67)If you were an employer, which kind of worker would you prefer to hire:an inexperienced worker at a lower salary or an experienced worker at a higher salary? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

When it comes to whether an employer should hire workers with less experiences and lower pay, or to hire experienced workers with a higher salary, since there are always advantages and disadvantages of the two, and there are always different situations, my personal option is that different strategy should be applied for different situations.

For situations where basic and simple jobs which requires less training, and cutting down the cost is important for the survival of the business, I would prefer to hire someone who has less experience, and willing to work under a lower pay. For example, a factory should hire more inexperienced laborers to work on the part of the plant where less skill but more physical strength is needed; and a restaurant owner should hire a cheaper kitchen hand rather than more chefs to cut down the cost of operation.

On the other hand, for situations when more knowledge and skills is crucial for a job, I would tend to hire someone who is more experienced and would rather pay more salary. Training an inexperienced person for an advanced position can cost a great deal of money, and a mistake an inexperienced makes sometimes can bring disaster to a company. Therefore an experienced personnel is a valuable asset for a business. Sometimes the value cannot be measured by money. A company may lost millions of dollars of revenue when some important positions are vacant and it has to look for someone who is qualified or take a lot of time to train a new person.

In conclusion, when we decide whether to hire a inexperienced, cheaper worker or an experienced, but more expensive worker, it is always depend on the nature of the business and the position, the amount of training required, and of course, the employers' personal preferences.


66)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Classmates are a more important influence than parents on a child’s success in school. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Although students stay with their classmates all time in school, parents are a more important influence on a child's success. I disagree with the statement that classmates are a more important influence on a child's success in school, because of the reasons as follows.

First of all, parents are the people who understand their own children best. They know the children's good sides and bad habits. They can correct the children's bad idea and make them give rid of the bad habits. So children can found a good base to get success in school. But classmates can not do these work.

The other reason is that parents have experiences on a lot of matters. If children have problems, parents can give them their experiences to help them solve problems. If parents have no similar experiences, they still can give their children some advice and make them avoid the wrong directions. Classmates can also give children some help, but they do not have more experiences than parents. So their influence is less than that of parents.

Parents also have other important influence on their children's success in school. Parents may analyze something in different ways and have different opinions from children. Classmates also can have different opinions on one thing, but they are at the same conditions with each other, their opinions may be similar or narrow. Children can learn more comprehensive knowledge about on thing from their parents.

So, based on the above discussion, I think it is clear that parents are a more important influence than classmates on a child's success in school.


65) Should a city try to preserve its old, historic buildings or destroy them and replace them with modern buildings? Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

Some people think that old, historic buildings are no need for the city and they should be destroyed and replaced with modern ones. However, other people believe that historic buildings must be preserved in order to know and remember our past. For several reasons that I will mention bellow I agree with those people who want to preserve old, historical buildings.

First of all, by preserving historical buildings we pass our history to our future generations. I think that out children should know their history, learn from it and respect it. People need to know their traditions and customs, which are priceless and irreplaceable. Our history is our knowledge and power. From my opinion we need to preserve and restore historical buildings. By destroying them we show our disrespect to our forefathers and their traditions.

Second of all, by by preserving historical buildings a city can attract many travelers. Welcoming tourists a city can get many benefits including money, which can be spent on preserving historical buildings as well as on improving roads and facilities.

Also, many tourists means a lot of new business opportunities. Another important aspect of this is that businessmen will be willing to build new recreational centers, hotels, movie theaters, shopping centers to make a city more attractive for travelers. In addition to those practical benefits, many people will have the opportunity to get a job. All this is good for the economy of the city.

To sum up, I believe that preserving old, historical buildings can bring only benefits to a city and all humankind


64)Some people prefer to work for themselves or own a business.Others prefer to ork for an employer. Would you rather be selfemployed, work for someone else, or own a business? Use specific reasons to explain your choice.

Many people have a variety of goals and personal preferences when it comes to employment. While some people enjoy less stress, such as that provided by regular positions, others argue that self-employment is far superior. I believe that being self-employed is better to a 9 to 5 position since I prefer to follow my own schedule and enjoy being able to achieve my own goals.

First, being self-employed allows people an incredible amount of flexibility. A normal 9 to 5 position requires employees to be at the office by a specific time and not leaving until the appropriate time. There are very strict rules about the number of breaks employees may take and lunch hours must be taken within a specific time frame. Employers may have policies governing the number of sick days that are available, or even when employees may take their vacation. Employees are given very little choice and must follow all of the rules. Violating rules may result in verbal warning or even termination of their employment. However, those that are self-employed can make all of the decisions without risk of consequence. Being self-employed allows people to completely set their own schedule, the only one to reprimand them being themselves.

Second, being self-employed allows people to focus entirely on achieving their own goals. Without being self-employed, people must follow and complete the tasks dictated by their immediate supervisor. Any pursuit of personal goals on working hours will result in termination of employment. Employers have very little regard for the goals of their employees, their primary concern being the profitability of the business. However, those that are self-employed are free to pursue whatever course of action they believe will accomplish their goals. If a specific process or task does not suit the goals you have in mind, people can immediately adapt or change to something more appropriate. However, this is only possibly if you are self-employed.

In short, people have a wide variety of employment preferences. While some people want the safety of a regular paycheck, others prefer the freedom to pursue their own goals, which includes me. I prefer being self-employed because of the additional flexibility and ability to pursue my own goals no matter what they may be. Being self-employed allows me to pursue my dreams of financial success rather than knowing that my hard work allowed someone else to buy a new Mercedes Benz.


63)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our answer.

No one goes through life without running into trouble once in a while. Some people think that these experiences that seemed difficult while they were talking place teach us valuable lessons that will be useful in the future. Others think that difficult times end with the solution to the problem and no longer have an effect on our lives. As for me, I agree with the former idea because difficult experiences can teach us lessons through mistakes, and these experiences also make it easier to deal with similar challenges in the future.

For one thing, if we learn from out difficult experiences, we are not likely to make the mistakes again. Take an example a freshman in university who spends most of his time having fun with his friends and very little time studying and preparing for exams. As the time for exams grows closer, the freshman will become nervous and have to spend the last few days cramming for the upcoming exams. It will be a very stressful time for the student. However, after this experience the student will probably not neglect his study. Instead, he will make an effort to study regularly throughout the semester so as to avoid such stress again. This is just one example of how a difficult situation can help us in the future.

Furthermore, difficult experiences will provide us with necessary knowledge that we can use when a similar problem comes up. For instance, if you start a new job and have a confrontation with a coworker, it will probably be a very awkward situation because you have had no experience in that type of situation. However, every time it happens, you can learn new and better methods of dealing with such things. Eventually, that type of situation ceases to be such a difficult situation because you are able to deal with it quickly and effectively. After some time, you can become efficient in dealing with people. In the working world, this is a valuable skill. Dealing with difficulties is the only way to learn this lesson.

A lot of people think that it is better to avoid all difficult experiences if it is at all possible, but difficult experiences can be useful in teaching us through the mistakes that we make. These experiences also make it easier for us to deal with the same challenges when they arise again. For these reasons, I maintain that difficult experiences are essential in teaching us valuable lessons for the future.


62)What do you want most in a friend — someone who is intelligent, or someone who has a sense of humor, or someone who is reliable? Which one of these characteristics is most important to you? Use reasons and specific examples to explain your choice.

The answer of this statement depends on your own experience and life style. In my point view, the most important quality for a friend is reliable. Among countless factors which influence the choice, these are three conspicuous aspects as follows.

To me, reliability is the most important quality of a friend. A friend is person whom we know, like, and trust. We may know and like a person who is intelligent, or who has a sense of humor, but we cannot can him a friend unless he is also faithful and trustworthy. Perhaps we all know the famous novel by Victor Hugo, Notre-Dame de Paris, and wish that we had a friend like Quasimodo. Although he is ugly, the man has a kind heart and a very loyal nature. He seems dedicated to anyone who will show him in turn kindness. Even if someone we know who does not have a sense of humor, or does not intelligent enough, he can still be our friend because he is the one we can trust.

Another reason can be seen by every person is that a friend must a person whom we can depend on. He is willing to listen to us, give us supports, and sympathizes with us when we are in need. 'A friend in need is a friend indeed.' A friend is a person whom we can trust our feelings and inner thoughts with, and do not fear that he will betray us. It is hard to imagine that anyone will share his thoughts with a person who, afterwards will spread the content of their conversation to everyone else in the world.

Of course, intelligent and humorous are also important qualities of a friend. A friend who is mentally acute can give us sound judgment and rationality when we have problems; a friend who is funny can give us an enjoyable time, and add spice to our life. But for me, I still think that the most important quality of a friend is being reliable.


61)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents or other adult relatives should make important decisions for their older (15 to 18 year-old) teenage children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.

No one knows me as well as my parents. No one wants the best for me like my parents. It is natural that I should allow my parents to make important decisions for me. I think all older teenagers (15 to 18 year-olds) should take their parents advice on decisions that concern their education, their social life, and their future careers.

My parents have always chosen the best schools for me to attend. They have encouraged me to attend special prep classes to make sure that I was well prepared for the exams. They have given me tutors to make sure that I understood my subjects well. When it comes to choosing a college, I will trust my parents to make that decision. They know what they can afford and what will give me a good education.

When I was young, my parents would invite children over to play with me. Over the years, I have become very close to these children. They are like my family. We celebrate holidays and birthdays together. We even go to the mountains together in the summer. My parents do not want me to fall into the wrong crowd. They do not want me to meet and fall in love with someone they do not know. I understand that and I want to make them happy.

My father runs a very successful business and my mother is a well-known politician. They are very well connected and they have many friends who would like me to work for them when I finish school. This is a very good arrangement for me.

If all children follow their parents' wishes, they would probably be happier. Parents only want the best for their children.


60)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

The world of childhood is dominated by games: children love to play with games, they are really important for their growth. It often happens to see an adult playing: it is not simple saying if games are as important for adults as they are for children. We need to realize why do children and adults play games.

Children love playing games because it is the most natural thing they can do: each child wants to move around, to jump, to have fun with friends, but also to live great adventures thanks to videogames. Playing game is an opportunity for children to stay in opened spaces, like playground, or the sand; to stay with friends, so it is an opportunity to socialize; and it is also important because playing sports helps children to improve their strenght and resistance. So playing games is really one of the most important things in childhood.

On the other hand adults too seem to like playing games, and the number of adults that play games seems to increase year by year. Adults play game like soccer, volleyball, but also any kind of sports: we can understand that by the growing attention to their shape. In fact adults want to play sports to lose weight and to keep in good shape. But sport isn’t the only game they play: adults have lately discovered the greatness of some videogames released in the last years; playing videogames is a way for them to get relaxed and have fun, thanks especially to the high level of graphic and sound reached by those games.

So, according to the elements presented before, I think it wouldn’t be right saying games are important just for children: adults too are interested in those things. But the main difference is the attitude that adults and children have towards games: adults like playing games because they want to keep in shape and just have fun, while children need to play game because it is the way they get to grow up , having fun while they learn things and move around.


59)Some people are always in a hurry to go places and get things done.Other people prefer to take their time and live life at a slower pace. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Life is short. Haste makes waste. What's your hurry? These three sayings characterize the way I manage my day to day chores. I don't want to rush through things; I prefer to take my time. Life is short. You never know what may happen tomorrow so it is important to enjoy today. Of course, some people will say that's why it is important to cram a lot into a day. But then, how would you possibly have time to enjoy all of those experiences. By doing a few things slowly and doing them well, you can savor the experience.

Haste makes waste. We are not machines. We can't rush through things mechanically. If we do, we might forget something; we might take shortcuts. By taking our time, we can do a chore carefully, completely, and correctly.

What's your hurry? Where's the fire? I don t see any need to rush to the next experience. There's still a lot to see and learn from the chores around you. Taking care of your baby brother for instance can be very rewarding. You could simply keep him near you while you watch TV and write a letter and talk on the phone. Or you could devote your whole attention to him and observe his reactions to his environment. You can observe carefully, if you are trying to do four things at the same time.

To twist a common saying, "Don't just do something, sit there!" Take life easy and savor each minute. Life is shorter than you think.


58)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Businesses should do anything they can to make a profit. Use specific reasons and examples to support your position.

The primary role of a business is to earn money. While some people argue that a business should do anything to turn a profit, others believe that businesses should follow strict guidelines and remember that money is not the only purpose for a corporations existence. I believe that businesses need to consider other aspects than money because they should not damage the environment or adversely affect the life of others.

First, businesses need to avoid damaging the environment. By damaging the environment, businesses are hurting the very people they are trying to serve. For example, manufacturing businesses may emit pollution and toxic waste. While government agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency are charged with preventing businesses from damaging the environment, a single instance can devastate thousands of people for generations. Many forms of toxic waste may be inadvertently or deliberately dumped into the local ecosystem. If these pollutants are carcinogenic, generations of inhabitants may be exposed to diseases such as various forms of cancer or hemophilia. Local inhabitants simply working at the local factor have then been given a death sentence. Businesses need to take responsibility for their actions and ensure they do not damage or pollute the environment.

Second, businesses need to consider the adverse effects they have on others. Many multinational corporations have factories throughout the world, the primary advantage being minimizing labor costs. While creating local jobs, this can also raise serious problems. For example, third world countries such as India have been found to have small children working in factories for almost no pay. Sweatshops may go on without the knowledge of the corporation, but it is their responsibility to ensure their activities do no harm other people. Businesses need to have a clear code of ethics that need to be considered before profit.

In conclusion, while it is the goal of a business to run at a profit, they should not do it at the expense of the environment or human life. Companies need to ensure they do not damage the environment and that their business practices do not allow activities such as child labor to flourish.


57)Some movies are serious, designed to make the audience think. Other movies are designed primarily to amuse and entertain. Which type of movie do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Movies have become more and more popular in our daily life. Many people like to choose to go to a theater or watch movies on TV in their spare time. However, it seems that different people have different tastes. For example, some people like to see some serious movies; on the contrary, others may enjoy the ones just entertaining themselves. As far as I am concerned, I prefer the former ones, the kind of movies designed to make us think.

Firstly, serious movies can give us something to think about. Unlike amusing ones, probably there is nothing still left in our mind after a certain period of time. Comparatively, serious movies are supposed to stipulate the audience to think, acquire something valuable from the thinking and then keep it in mind for a relatively longer period of time. Such is a kind of course of learning, and what we obtain in this way maybe turn out to be a necessary supplement to what we learn from the textbooks.

Furthermore, the serious movies can help us gain some life experiences we might have not had in our real life before. Through imaging ourselves being in the plot, we may get to know how to make the proper reactions in different situations. Also the movies give us the opportunity to think or value whether the roles act right or not, through which we are sure to become smarter than before, which is definitely benefit to our future life.

For us young generation, we need to learn something new every day by different ways. In this case, thinking is incredible for us. Fortunately, serious movies play a right role in leading us to a more thinking life.


56)A company is going to give some money either to support the arts or to protect the environment. Which do you think the company should choose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Deciding between supporting the arts and protecting the environment is a difficult choice to make, but I think I would choose protecting the environment. Arts help to maintain our culture and serve as a source of entertainment. However, we need a healthy environment in order to survive so we must protect it. We need to protect the environment now to help prevent health problems, to maintain the ecosystem, and to preserve the Earth for our children.

Pollution from factories and cars can cause damage to the environment. Moreover, pollution causes health problems particularly for children and the elderly who have weaker immune systems. We need to ensure that there are controls on the amount of pollution when possible so as to prevent health problems caused by breathing dirty air.

We also need to pay attention to the ecosystem. Trees, plant life, and people all depend on each other. An unhealthy environment can have harmful effects on the ecosystem. For example, if a plant dies because of changes to the environment and that plant is food for a animal, that animal won't have any food. If humans use that animal as a food source, there could be big problems. If we do not respect our environment now, it will continue to get worse and our children will suffer the consequences. They would not have the same quality of air to breathe or natural beauty to admire. That would be sad.

Without clean air to breathe, a healthy ecosystem, and a future for our children, the human race would not survive. That's why protecting our environment is important. If we have a healthy environment, we have healthy children who will be able to participate and appreciate the arts.


55)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? A person should never make an important decision alone. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Throughout life we have to make decisions, big and small. There are two different ways to approach making important decisions. Some people think that a person should make an important decision alone. In contrast, others think that the more important the decision is, the more consultation the person should receive. I agree with the latter opinion because I might learn something new and because it is possible to see the situation more clearly because of the objective opinions of others.

First of all, by consulting with others you may hear new ideas that you did not think of yourself. In most cases, the bigger and more important a decision is, the more options there are. For example, one of my friends is a recent university graduate and is looking for a job to fit his qualifications. In this case, it is a good idea to talk to a variety of people who have more experience in the working world. By talking to people in the same or related field, my friend will have ideas of what to expect and what to look for. Someone with more work experience may advise him not to focus only on money, but on what will benefit him most as far as future advancement. Through the advice of people with experience, you might be able to avoid some of the difficulties that come from choosing the wrong job.

Furthermore, hearing the objective opinions of other people can help you see a situation more clearly. When people make an important decision on their own, they often make mistakes because they are too close to the situation and have preconceived ideas and feelings. For instance, if a woman takes the time to talk to others about the prospective groom, she may learn some things that would change her mind. Perhaps the woman’s friends can see some major flaw in the man’s personality that could cause her a lot of grief such as a drinking problem or a violent temper. By hearing the opinions of others, she can make a better choice.

In conclusion, people tend to think that they can make the best decisions for themselves, but in reality it is sometimes best to get advice from others. This is because maybe you can learn something that you did not think of on your own and other people can give you objective opinions because they are able to see your situation more clearly. By taking the advice of others, you can make better choices in relation to important decisions.


54)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? One should never judge a person by external appearances. Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.

Most people are worried about their appearance and how other people see them. While it is true that we can sometimes tell something about people by looking at their external appearance, it is not the best measurement. I believe that people should not judge others by external appearances. This is because it is unfair to make assumptions about a person’s character based on outward appearance and because people change their appearance to fit different situations.

To begin with, someone’s external appearance is not a mirror of his or her inner self. I can relate an example from my own life. I came from a very poor family that was unable to put me through university, so throughout my academic career it was required that I work part-time in order to pay for my tuition each semester. During the summer, I was covered in sweat and dirt from working for a lawn care service, but when people saw me in that condition, they assumed I was uneducated and not very intelligent. In reality, I was a straight A student with a good academic reputation on campus and among my professors. Customers I worked for could not see this, and my co-workers were also surprised to see me reading textbooks during breaks. Judging a book by its cover can often lead to mistaken assumptions.

Moreover, external appearances can change with location. For example, think of an evening at the opera where formal clothes are required. In the audience of an opera hall, you can see men in tuxedoes and women in evening gowns. Everyone is dressed the same, so there is no real way to determine what everyone does in their everyday lives. The man sitting next to the doctor may be a gas station attendant, and the women next to the lawyer may be a housewife. In certain settings, looks can be deceiving and there is no telling what is under the wrapper. That is because clothing, hairstyles and other factors of external appearance can be adjusted to fit any situation. A gas station attendant might love opera and a company CEO might like to bowl on the weekends.

To make people do it, it is almost never safe to make an assumption about people based only on external appearances. It is not accurate to judge a personal trait based on outward appearance. Furthermore, people can change their appearance to fit occasions where their true selves do not show through. For these reasons, it is important to get to know someone before making a judgment.


53)Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The most important aspect of a job is the money a person earns. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

Although many people may not agree with me, I personally believe that there are several aspects in a job that are more important than the money I can earn doing it. Working in a good environment, having enough free time to enjoy my private life and liking what I do are some of these characteristics.

Working in a good environment is important. Everyday, in my job, I come in contact with my colleagues and my manager. Since I have to interact with them, it is very important that they are friendly and cooperative. It will help me to work better. A bad colleague could make my life at work impossible, and would push me to hate my job.

Having a work that gives me enough free time is important. It is useless to have a job that allows me to earn a lot of money, but that doesn’t give me the time to enjoy it. I prefer to receive a smaller salary, but to be able to see my friends at night, or to pass the weekends at home with my family, instead of working all the time.

Liking my job is important. I have to do it not just for a day, but for years, if not for the rest of my life. If I don’t love what I do, I won’t feel satisfied with myself and realized, no matter how much money I will earn. I will probably feel frustrated and depressed. I don’t know how many will agree but, to me, the quality of my life is priceless.

It is important that your job gives you a good salary. However, it is more important to have a job that you like, and that allows you to enjoy your private life. There is no doubt that money is useful, but you can sacrifice the quality of your life to it.


51)Some people believe that success in life comes from taking risks or chances. Others believe that success results from careful planning. In your opinion, what does success come from? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

There are various way to achieve success in life. Some people believe that the road to success comes from taking risks and chances. On the other hand, others believe that success is the end result of careful planning. From my perspective, though there can be exceptions, I believe that success comes from careful planning because through this method, people can predict problems, which allows them to better prepare, and goals can be made more clearly defined.

One reason is that careful planning is a better method of achieving success because through this method, people can foresee some of the difficulties that they may run up against during the course of their work, and minimize the risk of failure. By being able to predict these problems, they will be better prepared to deal with them. For example, if I am planning to expand my own business, it is beneficial for me to sit down and consider what kinds of problems I may face and how to solve these problems ahead. By carefully planning the new plan, it is more likely to be a successful experience. Therefore, when people make a detailed map for success, they can minimize the risk of failure and have more control of their future.

Another reason why careful planning is a better way to go is that clear goals can be established by that way. A lot of people have dreams of success in their lives, but they go about trying to reach their goals as if their eyes are closed, and they do not know which direction they are going. After some time they lose hope, which causes them to lose motivation towards reaching their goals. However, if people have a clear idea of what to do in order to reach their goals, they will be better motivated because they will expect setbacks and difficulties, but know that they can still achieve success. Without sufficient motivation, goals are reached more slowly, if at all.

In conclusion, people can achieve success through taking risks and chances, but it is not recommended. I believe that careful planning is a better way to go because through careful planning can make allowances for problems before they come up, and they can establish a clear road to success, which will keep them motivated.


50)Some people like to do only what they already do well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

Different people have different personalities in that there are those that seek new challenges and those who prefer security. Some people enjoy trying new things and taking risks while other people are more comfortable with sticking to what they know for the sake of feeling secure. Personally, I prefer trying new things and taking risks because by doing so, I am able to make beneficial changes in my life, and something new usually makes life more interesting.

First of all, trying new things enables me to make beneficial changes in my life. If we look around at our world, we can readily see developments and innovations that sprang from someone’s desire to try something new. If we did not have the drive to try new things, we would live as if we are stuck in time. Take transportation for example. If people had been content with walking or riding horses, they would have never developed the various modes of convenient transportation such as subways, cars, and airplanes. By having the desire and willingness to try something new in spite of the risks involved, people have been able to make improvements in the way that they live, work and play.

Moreover, I like to try new things and take risks because it makes life more interesting. I cannot imagine living life without taking risks and trying new things. My grandfather is the opposite and has done very few risky or new activities during his life. For that reason, he does not really have any interesting stories to tell about his experiences. His life has been very dull and routine. Though I am much younger than he is, I have taken more risks in the form of traveling, sports and dangerous activities, like scuba diving. I have also tried many kinds of foods and gotten to know a variety of people from all over the world. Therefore, I believe that my life is much more interesting than my grandfather’s.

In conclusion, while there are some merits involved in not trying new things or taking risks, such as comfort and security, I prefer to try new and risky things instead of just sticking to what I already know. By doing so, I am able to make my life more interesting as well as make improvements in my life. I recommend that everyone take risks and try new things for the benefits that I described above.