ENGLISH COMPOSITION

1. Opportunities Opportunities are a much-debated topic in that it affects everybody in their daily lives. Some people criticize the importance of opportunities, who argue that without knowledge and skill the opportunities are doomed to slip away. They believe that knowledge and skill are more important than opportunities. But people who advocate the importance of opportunities, on the other hand, argue that opportunities are the most important factor in their lives. Without opportunities, they would not succeed in business. As far as I am concerned, I can only say that I need opportunity, and I need hard work more. We all know that opportunities do play an important role in our success. However, many people believe that the key factor that leads to their final success depends on two aspects. The first aspect is one’s diligence and ability. The second one is the opportunities. A further argument is that ability is the basic of success. Without ability, even very good opportunities come, you can not grasp them. However, what really counts is not how lucky you are to get good opportunities, but whether or not you have such an ability to take advantage of them. There are plenty of opportunities for everyone in our society, but only those who are prepared adequately and qualified highly can make use of them to achieve their goal.
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2.My View on the Negative Effects of Reference Books Nowadays students constantly find themselves flooded by all kinds of reference books. Reference books themselves are of no harm. It’s generally believed most of them are helpful and beneficial. However, the overuse or not using them in a proper way, such as depending too much on them, will certainly do harm to students.
Obviously, depending too much on reference books, has many negative effects. To begin with, they can make some students (be) less attentive in class. Armed with keys to all the questions, they seem to know all and only find their memory completely blank in exam-rooms. Besides, some reference books published in such a haste that they occasionally provide students with wrong answers, thus making students confused about some knowledge. Worst of all, by merely copying from the reference books, students gradually become lazy and get into passive learning habits which are difficult to get rid of, and what’s more, do great harm to their creativity.
Therefore, I suggest students take protective attitudes towards themselves in front of all kinds of reference books. In addition, they should be taught how to make proper use of the books and never overuse them by merely copying (without thinking). Only in this way can they reduce the negative effects of reference books.
（211 words） 3.Harmfulness of Video Games Nowadays, time and again, students are prohibited form playing video games, but almost in vain. As a matter of fact, many teenagers are still seen indulging in the exciting games, esp. during the vacations. However, this problem has caught the national wide attention.
As is well known, video games can do great harm to students and society. First, they greatly affect students’ eyesight and their health. As a matter of fact, some students can’t resist the temptation of playing video games. Therefore, they cut their lunch and pour all their pocket money on video games. And what is worse, they waste all their free time on the games so as to escape the teachers’ strict requirements and the parents’ harsh words. As a result, they fail rapidly in health. Besides, video games take students’ attention from their classroom and greatly affect their studies. As some students are so indulged in the games, they naturally forget about their homework and even begin to skip school. Third, some violence in the games can lead students astray. Finally, the deadly need for money to play the games can drive them to robbery, theft or any other kinds of crimes or tragedies.
Therefore, it’s high time we took effective measures to stop the students from playing video games. On one hand, we should let people in the society become fully aware of the harmfulness of video games. On the other hand, we should enhance the punishment of the illegal owner of the video houses so as to completely prohibit the students from playing video games. （261 words） 4.Can Success Be Measured in Terms of Money? There is a deep-rooted concept in the minds of many people that money is the only yardstick of success. What they do not realize is that there are many types of success, and some are associated with wealth and some not. It is high time that such people opened their eyes and took a sober look at the world around them.
While it is true that a successful businessman or inventor will usually become rich, many other people who are outstanding in their fields do not reap monetary rewards. One example is the rocket scientist who makes great achievements in the field of astronautics while gaining glory for his country, but draws a modest salary. Another example is Lei Feng, who has marked his name in history because his life was devoted to helping others, although he owned almost no personal possessions.
Measuring success by money alone leads people to strive to make money by fair means or foul. If one’s only goal in life is to become rich, without serving others or making any worthwhile achievements, then one certainly cannot regard oneself as a success. Furthermore, those who spend their lives scrambling for more, even though they gain it, are the biggest losers of all.
（206 words） 5.On Reading It’s generally believed that reading is an important part of our life .To begin with, it undoubtedly enriches our life. When we feel lonesome, we can pick up a book and enjoy what we read. By reading, we may feel we lead different kinds of lives, and talk to people of different periods in history. Besides, by reading, we may also feel someone is giving us some good advice on life and work. Therefore, reading is really indispensable to our life.
To be good readers, we should take at least three factors into account. First, one should read extensively. No doubt, the more books one reads, the more one is inclined to read. Besides, a good reader should always read some books actively rather than passively, because reading is viewed as a kind of effective intercourse with the write. Finally, a good reader should always ponder upon what he reads, for reading without reflecting is like eating without digestion.
All in all, from reading comes understanding; and from understanding comes more reading. A good reader is one who not only reads actively and extensively, but also reads with full understanding.
（190 words） 6. Social Activities and Our Study Social activities benefit us in many ways. First, they can widen our horizons. By taking part in them, we can not only learn what we can’t from books but learn how to put theories into practice. Second, they provide us with a chance to know about the society and enrich our social experience. As a result, we may find it not too difficult to adapt ourselves to the society when we graduate.
Too many social activities, however, will cause a lot of problems. They will cost us much time and energy. If we indulge ourselves in these activities at the expense of our studies, we will never be able to have a good command of knowledge. Therefore, we will fail to be qualified students.
My suggestion is that we students should spend most of our time and energy studying, and once in a while participate in some social activities. Only in this way can we benefit a lot.
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7. University Students and Lectures Compared with primary school and middle school, life in university is much colorful. Besides their studies, university students can have more time playing sports, reading their favorite books or making short-time trips. In addition to all these activities, there is one typical characteristic of university life, that is, university students have many lectures to attend.
In university, there are various lectures of different kinds, such as those of required courses and compulsive subjects. There is one lecture almost every day. In some universities, sometimes there may be several lectures going on at the same time. The topics of the lectures may range from very academic ones to those that can be enjoyed by every students, from those on natural science to those on social science, from those at home to those abroad, and from those on ancient civilizations to those on modern technology. They may be given by common teachers, famous scholars or even businessmen.
Facing so varied lectures, what should university students do? A wise student will attend them selectively. For those related to his major, he seldom misses them in order to acquire a new perspective and a better understanding of his major. For those that are easy to understand and interesting to him, he may enjoy them when he is free. For those given by top quality professors, no matter how busy he is, he always manages to attend them. In this way, he may make good use of the lectures and develop his knowledge structure, creative mind and even character.
（254 words） 8. The Rise of Shanzhai Culture The vast array of knockoff name-brand products, such as cell phones, DVDs, MP3 players, have made “shanzhai” the hottest word of the year. Now we wear shanzhai watches, talk through shanzhai cell phones, play shanzhai video games, use shanzhai computers, even watch shanzhai TV shows. Once a term used before some electronic products to suggest a copycat version of inferior quality, shanzhai now suggests to many Chinese creativity and trendiness. With the media all over the rise of shanzhai culture, public opinions are clearly divided. Advocates invariably associate it with innovation, stylishness, the DIY spirit, open-mindedness and practicality, as shanzhai products often mix imitation with innovation – a similar skin but a different heart. The end products are usually more functional and much cheaper than the original. Besides, they respond to the market more swiftly and they are more considerate in design. Thanks to them, more people at the grassroots level can enjoy the benefit of modern technology. However, other people, including myself, hold more reserved attitudes towards the shanzhai fever. For all the popularity it has won, a copycat is a copycat. The mockery of the prestige products not only steals their profits but also upsets market competition. Moreover, shanzhai products thrive on the current legal loopholes. Under the disguise of anti-dominance slogans, they make illegal profits by violating intellectual property rights and evading taxes. And to top it off, the so-called innovation is only senseless talk as true innovation always faces huge costs and potential failures, while plagiarism simply builds success on other people’s risks.
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9. Brain Drain
With the world entering a new millennium, there arouses a fierce competition in science and technology. Consequently, brain drain occurs in the developing countries all over the world. Brain drain is more than an outflow of knowledge. It causes a loss of minds and hearts as well. The countries that lose their well-trained professionals to other countries usually suffer hard conditions caused by the lack of scientists and technicians. As a result, the gap between the rich and the poor widens.
The reasons that cause brain drain vary in different cases. The most obvious is good jobs and high salaries. Although not all people take money as everything, we have to admit that in our daily life money is something few of us want to completely give up.
In order to reverse the trend of brain drain, many countries are taking measures to attract their professionals back, such as providing them with higher salaries, spacious housing and good research facilities, etc. In my opinion, the most important is to speed up developments in their economies and upgrade their science and technology level. So long as a country is strong enough, it sill attracts its well-trained professionals back to serve their motherland.
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10. The Greatest Invention of the Past Century The past 20th century saw a great deal of inventions in human history. For example, antibiotics, cars, airplanes, telephones, radio, and the nuclear weapon, etc, were all invented in this period.
Of all these inventions, which one is the greatest? Different people may have different answers. In my opinion, the computer is the greatest of all, for it has not only brought people a lot of benefits, but also has transformed human life so fundamentally that up to now, not a single invention can outweigh the important function of the computer.
Today, computers are widely applied in various fields. Industry, agriculture, military affairs, scientific research, computers are employed to engage in all kinds of activities imaginable.
Perhaps the most obvious application of the computer is in our daily life. School education, website browsing, shopping, entertainment… etc., with a click of the mouse, everything just appears before us. The miraculous computers have brought the convenience to the people that are unprecedented in human history.
With all the above reasons, I think the computer is the greatest and the most marvelous invention of the past 20th century.
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How to Keep Psychologically Healthy? One in four people will experience some kind of mental problem in the course of a year. When you fail to manage these problems, they are likely to cause various mental illnesses. The cause of mental health problems often vary a lot from one case to another. In today’s society, a good number of people are suffering from heavy pressure. Others lack communication skills. In addition, a lot of people are ignorant of psychological knowledge about how to keep mentally fit. There are a lot of ways to curb mental health problems and keep psychologically healthy. Firstly, find the real cause of your mental health problem and see whether you can do something about it. Secondly, learn to relax yourself and take exercises to release the pressure. Lastly, you may find it helpful to talk to your partner or friend about your problem, or seek support and advice form a psychological consultant. Only in this way can you recover from it!
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12. Genetic Engineering The world is entering the age of genetic engineering. Scientists have cloned animals, and the cloning of humans may soon commence. Gene therapy research is exploring ways to treat various inherited syndromes.
Genetic engineering will affect the major environmental problems of our time. It is crucially important that we take stock of this technology’s probable effects on our planet’s ecosystems. We should also take a sober look at the effects of genetic engineering in the social and political realms.
As with the environment, genetic engineering of humans has the potential to be dangerous. Work on gene therapy for humans is proceeding cautiously, but the prospective rewards of gene therapy are tremendous. Therapy someday will be directed at germ cells. But this is an area of medical research in which work must progress with great care.
When gene therapy has become a precise procedure, prospective parents will be faced with a wide range of possibilities. The possibilities for genetic engineering are likely to be vast, but only for millionaire parents.
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13. Don’t Hesitate to Say “No” Usually when people are asked to help the others, they are ready to do so if they can. But sometimes, they have to say “no” when what they are asked to do is beyond their ability, or it is something that will violate the law or certain regulations.
Then there rises a question: why some people don’t say “no” when they actually should say “no”? The causes are a bit complicated. Some people hesitate to say “no” just for the purpose of not losing face before friends. They are afraid of damaging their friendly relationship.
The demerits of hesitating to say “no” are obvious. Some people always find themselves in an embarrassing position: they spend much time and money helping the others, but only find that they have made a mess of the whole matter. Some others find themselves in prison, not knowing that they have broken the law. Therefore, “don’t hesitate to say ‘no’ ” is sometimes a must. （160 words） 14. Choosing an Occupation Each of us college graduates will have to face the reality of choosing an occupation upon graduation from college or university. And how to make a right choice is of vital importance for our career, for an ideal job may stimulate one to work with zest and vigor, making contributions to his country.
To make a wise choice, two important things should be taken into consideration. One is the interest, the other, the demands of people and society. Only when the two aspects are connected, can a man show his talent and ability to the best advantage. If they conflict, the former should yield to the latter, for the people’s interests are more important than the individual’s.
In regard to my choice in the future, I prefer to work in a foreign enterprise as an interpreter. Because with the implementation of the Open-Door Policy, exchange between China and foreign countries in economy and culture has been growing significantly, thus leaving great opportunity for my career in the coming future.
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15. Energy Resources China is rich in various energy resources. Coal and petroleum, for instance, are two major ones. They are essential in developing the country’s industry, science and technology. China has done a great deal in the past few decades to raise its output of coal and petroleum.
Three energy resources are being used up rapidly. With the building of four modernizations, new industrial and science projects are springing up like bamboo shoots after rain. They are all big consumers of energy resources. Besides, there has been considerable waste in the utilization of these resources.
To avoid an energy crisis in the future, the government must take certain measures. In my opinion, two points are of urgent concern. First, it should let people know the importance of saving energy. Second, efforts should be made to develop new energy resources, such as solar energy, geothermal energy and so on. We have reasons to be optimistic in this respect.
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16. Taking Part-time jobs There are many advantages for a student to have a part time job. For instance, it helps him to realize that no success comes from nothing. It enables him to be independent and builds up his self-confidence. Therefore, part-time jobs can get the students out of the ivory tower and give them the opportunity to know more of himself and of his personal value in society.
As everything has two sides, the disadvantages can’t be ignored. Part-time jobs cut into students’ study time; some even become so preoccupied with making money that they can’t focus their attention on studying. In the end, the students may fall behind or fail in their studies.
In my opinion, students may choose to take up a job according to their own situation, but they should keep in mind that the most important task for a student is studying. So it is up to the student to to keep a good balance between studying and part-time job, putting his study on top of the list.
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17. Wealth and Happiness Everyone wants to get wealth. In today’s material world, making money or becoming wealthy symbolizes a person’s success and capability. Many people make every effort, pay any price to attain greater wealth. With money, they can buy large apartments in nice neighborhood, own stately luxury cars and have high social position. Wealth seems to bring all happiness in their life.
In my opinion, people cannot do something without money, but money is not everything. What wealth will bring you depends on your personal belief and goal in life. If you are kind enough to help others, especially the poor, being wealthy is a good thing. With money, you can do much more for the benefit of people and your country, and to your own happiness. If you want money just for your own needs, you will never be satisfied, nor will you be a happy person. In a word, your wealth does not always go hand in hand with happiness. Only when one makes contributions to the society can wealth bring happiness to his life.
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18. Advantages of a Job Interview In the present employment market, a job interview has become a must. It is advantageous not only to the interviewer but also to the interviewee, simply because it can promote mutual understanding between them.
During the job interview, the interviewer has the chance to tell the interviewee something about his company, for example, the job vacancy, the working conditions, the annual welfare and so on. By asking the interviewee some questions, he gets to know whether the interviewee is capable of doing the job in his company.
For the interviewee, the job interview gives him an opportunity to present his academic knowledge, his background, and his interest in the job. By asking and answering questions, he can show the interviewer his personality, self-confidence and potentiality. If both sides are satisfied with the result of the job interview, the interview may turn out to be a “win-win” practice, to the satisfaction of the both sides. （154 words） 19. The Two-day Weekend Since the two-day weekend was officially adopted in 1995, it has found an immediate welcome. College students are happy that every week they have two days off. During the two days, some of them can go out to enjoy themselves or get together with friends or take a Part-time job somewhere. Some may prefer to relax themselves by listening to music, reading novels, or dealing with personal affairs. Still some may be more active in participating in various sports activities.
However, the two-day weekend may exert some negative effects on some students. For example, some students are likely to idle away their time by sleeping too much or playing too much. They may take it for granted that the two-day weekend is only a period of time for relaxation.
As far as I am concerned, I will make my weekend more meaningful and colorful. Sometimes I’ll go to the library to study, or go to see exhibitions to broaden my vision. Sometimes I sill visit my relatives and old friends. Of course, an excursion to the countryside is my favorite way of spending the two-day weekend.
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20. Get to Know the Society outside the Campus With the economic development and the changes in social life, students should not only obtain knowledge from the textbooks in the university but also seize every opportunity to adapt themselves to the changing society outside the university.
There are many ways for students to know the society outside the campus. They can keep themselves well-informed through the mass media—TV, radio, newspapers, magazines, and internet. The most important channel for them to know the society is to participate in some activities and social investigations organized by the communities as young volunteers, or to take a part-time job, such as clerking in a department of social service or tutoring in the families. These methods will enable them to get in touch with society.
As a college student, I will get myself enlisted in an organization attached to the “Project Hope” this summer vacation. By helping the dropouts in the remote areas, I can make some contribution to the society, and at the same time, get to know more knowledge outside the campus. （171 words） 21. On Private Cars in China With the development of economy and increase in the living standard, the number of people owning private cars is on the rise. Opinions on whether private cars should be encouraged vary from person to person.
Some claim that private cars can bring convenience and mobility. People who own private cars don’t have to wait for buses or ride bicycles in the wind or rain. They can enjoy leisure time by making trips to the countryside or seaside on the weekend, instead of being confined to the immediate neighborhood. Moreover, the growth of automobile industry can promote other important industries such as iron and steel production, energy and technological application, creating new job opportunities.
However, others argue that cars will give rise to a series of problems. As more and more cars are produced and run in the street, a large volume of exhaust gas will be given off, polluting the air and producing much noise. What’s more, private cars contribute to traffic congestion. Finally, traffic accidents and energy consumption also add to the disadvantages of owning private cars.
Considering the advantages and disadvantages, I think we should neither stop the consumption of private cars nor blindly encourage it at present. With the improvement of traffic situation, private cars using clean energy may be encouraged in the future.
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22. College Graduates’ Employment Situation In spite of the high education they have received, college students find it difficult to hunt a job nowadays. It may seem quite strange since, compared with other young people, they are commonly considered intelligent, knowledgeable, and better qualified.
There are several factors accounting for this situation. Firstly, China is a developing country with a large population where job opportunities are relatively insufficient. What’s more, the number of university graduates is increasing rapidly in recent years. Secondly, now many college students pursue too high a goal. The job they want should not only pay off well but also be very prestigious. Another reason is that the majors some students study in college do not fit in with the demands of the labor market.
In my opinion, both the employers and the job hunters should contribute to the solution. The companies or factories should offer favorable conditions for college students, while the latter should not be too critical about the job, but think more about the future development and their contributions to the society. The government should also take its responsibility to create more job opportunities. With the combined efforts, most of the university graduates will find their satisfying jobs.
（199 words） 23. The Rush of Going Abroad In recent years there is a great mass fervor of going abroad. To achieve the purpose many people spend a large sum of money and a lot of time preparing for various examinations, such as TOEFL, GRE, GMAT, IELTS, and so on. It is a great investment accompanied by great risk. There must be something attractive enough for them to take such an important step in life.
China is a densely populated developing country where living conditions are and working opportunity is not so desirable as those in some developed countries. Consequently, it will be more competitive to seek careers and achieve success. While some foreign countries, such as the U.S., Canada, Britain, Australia, or even Japan, can afford better education and living conditions—that’s why so many people seek to study abroad.
Everyone has the right to choose his own way of life. As for me, going abroad is too expensive and time-consuming. Since many ambitious young people have gone abroad, it may be less competitive to find ideal jobs at home. Above all, if everyone leaves his country, who will shoulder the task of building our homeland? I prefer to stay in China, and my career is right here in my country.
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24. What Will WTO Bring Us? Since China entered WTO, many people are happy and optimistic about the future. What will WTO bring us? Obviously, since we have entered WTO, there will be fewer trade barriers for us on the world market; better, cheaper goods will surge in, bringing benefit to the people; more foreign companies and agencies will be established in China, offering more job opportunities and relieving unemployment pressure. It has political significance, too. China’s participation in world market will enhance its image and political influence. In a word, there is a great opportunity in front of us.
However, the opportunity also brings a challenge. Strong foreign competition is a great threat to our national and private businesses, bringing them risk of going bankrupt. Our economy may become increasingly dependent on powerful foreign countries, which is against our will.
Nonetheless, there is no need for us to be over-worried and pessimistic for the consequence of entering WTO. On the contrary, we should take advantage of the good conditions and work hard to achieve our success. I am confident that by the efforts of the whole nation, China will become one of the strongest nations in WTO.
（192 words） 25. Information Technology
It is an age of “knowledge explosion” when much more information is available than in the past. Many things that would otherwise be very complex are very simple and easy due to Internet, which marks the real beginning of information technology age. It shortens the distance between people and can provide any information we can imagine. Now we don’t have to watch TV news in a fixed period of time. Just go on to the Internet and you can get all sorts of news from every corner of the world at any time. With a click of the mouse, the message will be sent to your destination in a split second.
While enjoying the convenience brought by IT, we are also faced with some troubles. There would be less and less privacy to keep for individuals. Furthermore, since it is easy to get what we want at home, few people would go out. This is not only harmful for our health but for developing social relations, for person-to-person contact is necessary for people to really understand each other.
Despite the above disadvantages, IT marks the advance of human society. I’m sure the powerful IT will certainly have a bright future.
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