Task 2
1. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: technology devices distance people far more now than before.
Personally, I don't agree with that, actually, I think that technology, like internet, brings people closer than ever. For instance, I got a friend who is now studying in the States, and I cannot visit him a lot because of the expensive plane ticket. Fortunately, with the help of internet, I can video chat with him. Not only can I hear his voice, but also I can see his facial expression and body movement, which makes our communication more efficient and more convenient. Additionally, with the help of internet, I can make friends easily with people who have the same hobby. I joined a group of badminton lovers on facebook, and we play badminton together every Saturday. It is amazing.
2. Do you agree or disagree the following statement and give reasons: Parents should not allow their children to participate any form of sport (football, basketball, ice hockey.) in order to protect their health and from any form of injuries.
Personally, I don't agree with that. I think kids should have their own freedom in choosing the kind of sports they like, including football, ice hockey and stuff. To begin with, most of the sports can lead to injuries, and it should not be decided by the parents which sports is more likely to cause injury, and plus lots of injuries can be prevented by proper protection, like chest protectors and nice shoes and stuff. Additionally, kids can cultivate their competitiveness and build up a strong body, since the above mentioned sports are pretty intensive, and require lots of running back and forth.
3. Some people prefer to watch a sport game from the audience seat, others prefer to be in the sports field and compete with others. Which do you prefer to do?
As for myself, I would like to compete with others in the sports field. It is a great way to keep us in shape, and plus it is fun to compete with people in a friendly way. Plus, sports participation can help us to develop social skills, which will benefit us throughout our entire lives, at least, people are social being, like (Filler words) we need to talk and socialize, and cooperate with others when working in a professional environment, and actually relationship of all kinds is inescapable, and playing sports can help us build up social skills. However, just being a member of the audience is pretty boring.
4. Do you agree or disagree with the statement that rich should do more to help the poor.
Well, personally, I would say rich should do some charitable activities to help the poor and underprivileged. To begin with, men are social beings, we are supposed to help each other; giving a helping hand and offer some necessities to the unlucky ones should be welcomed the public, and that can help to bind the society as a whole. Additionally, lots of businessmen are actually philanthropist, like Warren Buffet, Bill Gates, and other business tycoons, they donate hundreds of millions of dollars, and by doing this, not only can they help the poor, they can also promote their business.
5. Some university plan to replace paper books and magazines with electronic books. Do you agree or disagree?
Personally, I am not in favor of this plan. Actually, I prefer to read paper books. I am the kind of person who like to highlight, like underline the important parts when I am reading a book, and I am used to write some thoughts on the side of the page. However, if there are just e-books, I might not be able to take notes conveniently. Additionally, it is very difficult for people to operate, the control pad or the buttons are too small for somebody to press on, thus sometimes it is very hard to get it function right, and that is very annoying, cuz it costs you lots of time.
6. When learning something new, some students like to take notes in class while others prefer to listen to their teachers and take a few or no notes. Which do you prefer and why?
Personally, I prefer to listen to the teacher attentively when learning something new. You know, new materials taught by the teacher can be really hard to understand, so one needs to focus on teacher's lecture instead of taking notes. I will get distracted from teacher's explanation and get lost. Of course, I am not arguing that notes are not important, on the contrary, it is fairly important when you review for exams. Hopefully, one can borrow the notes of his or her classmates so that you can focus on the class and have some material to review before exam.
7. Do you are agree or disagree with the following statement: People don't need to memorize historical events or references because they can find such information from the Internet very easily nowadays.
Personally, I don't think people need to memorize the exact date of historical events. To me, it doesn't make any sense just to remember the dates of a certain historical event. I am not arguing that history is not important, however, since most of us are not historians and experts, it is not necessary to remember particular information about the event, and some general idea is good enough. Nonetheless, one needs to know the causes and effects of events, and how they relate to each other, but things like dates and names are just details you can look up on the internet whenever you need that.
8. Some people prefer to buy innovative high-tech products like cell phones and computers when they first came out, others would buy them after the price has been decreased. Which do you prefer and why?
I would say I like to buy innovative high-tech products after the price goes down, and I have a few reasons for support. First and foremost, products with cutting edge and state of the art technology are usually very expensive when they first come out, and as a college student I do not have lost money to waste on that, cuz I have to pay college tuition, textbooks and stuff like that. Additionally, we consume technological products for its convenience and they will be as valuable and convenient as they firstly show up in the market, so it is more advisable to buy that after a while.
9. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Teenagers under 16 years old should be allowed to drive cars.
I totally disagree that anyone under 16 years old should be allowed to drive cars. The most obvious reason is that kids are not as capable as adults when it comes to drive cars. Kids get easily distracted when driving, and they will not handle the steering wheel as well as an adult. On top of that, the kids might not understand some of the traffic regulations and they are not aware of lots of hazardous situations. In an nutshell, kids under 16 years ago should not be allowed to drive cars, not driving cars is good to them and also to other drives on the road.
10. Do you think high school students should take economics classes?
Personally, I would say that high school students should take economics classes. To begin with, economics class are general courses that every student has to take in universities, and starting taking introductory class from high school makes it easier for students to adapt to that. Thus, they will not be under lots of pressure if they already have some basic knowledge. Additionally, some basic knowledge can be very helpful in our daily life. With these knowledge, people will know when it is the right time to invest in stocks, or to buy gold as a form of asset, or even understand the overall economic condition of the country.
11. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? students should be required to go to school before they are 16 years old.
Well, I think students should be required to go to schools before they are 16 years old. To begin with, one can learn a lot by going to primary schools and middle school. They can learn basic knowledge, and that will lay a solid foundation for their future study and career, for example, like basic arithmetic, how to add, subtract. Apart from that, humans are social beings, school provides a great chance for kids to know more about them and make friends with their peers. By interacting with peers, they will learn a sense of responsibility, to care about others.
12. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? It's impolite to make calls or sent text messages on a dinner table. Explain in details.
Well, frankly speaking, it really depends on the situation when it comes to the question of is it okay to make calls or sent text messages on a dinner table. Such behaviors can be excused if is an emergency, like you are having dinner with a group of friends and some called you saying that your family number got really sick, of course it is no problem to make the call. However, if you are just bored about your time with friends, I do not think making calls and sending text messages are polite, and it is not courteous at all, actually, socializing with friends on the dinner table and talking about the past can be great fun.
13. Some teachers like to give class assignments in person, others like to give assignments by email. Which do you think is better? Explain why.
Personally, I prefer teachers to give assignments in person. Cuz, to begin with, sometime, students are overwhelmed with all kinds of activities in school, they might forget to check their email, thus, they probably would miss the deadline of the assignment. Additionally, I think professors can convey the format and requirement of the assignment more clearly when explaining in person than simply sending students emails, like sometimes you can explain things more clearly when using facial expression and body movements rather than just words. So based on these reasons and more, I find giving assignments in person more appealing.
14. Some people think that it's more important to spend time with families, others think they should focus on work and study. Which do you prefer?
Personally, I think families are more important than work and study. To begin with, the people who really care about you most are your family members, your parents, sisters, and brothers, and the family members are the first group people you deal with; and when you are depressed or suffering from setbacks in life, it is your family who supports you. Lots of times, it is the encouragement and love from one's family that makes someone stronger in life. The people who are not be able to be their parents when they got sick or are dying only regret that they should have spent more time with them, instead of closing business deals and stuff.
15. Do you are agree or disagree with the following statement: people's personalities will change when they grow older.
Personally, I am in favor that people's personalities change overtime. This happens because throughout one's lifetime one has lots of experience, including success and failures, as no one grows up in a vacuum. Actually, our experience as a student, professional, husband, wife will mould our personalities. For example,
Things that were important to you when you were a kid are not so important when you are older. Like, you might be afraid to be judged and finger pointed when you were a kid, however, as you grow older, you might gain self confidence gradually and don't care about others' judgment anymore.
16. Which one do you prefer, shopping in a large store or shopping in a small store?
I prefer to shop in a small store, to begin with, in a small store, you might get customized products that are tailed to your taste and preference. Also, generally the best food comes from small stores instead of supermarkets, like the pizza sold in a small store tastes like home-make. However, the products in a supermarket or department store come in bulk, and it is manufactured by machines. On top of that, in a department store, usually it is very crowded and packed with customers, you have to wait in line to check out, it is a waste of time, and it is difficult to find the stuff you want to buy since there are some many sections, and lots of stacks of products in a section.
17. Some people prefer the traditional way of working, like going to the office settings while others prefer to work at home, which one do you prefer and why?
Personally, I prefer to work in an office. First and foremost, when you work in an office, you wear professional suits and feel like you are very professional, and will be more confident about your job, thus you can improve your working efficiency. Plus, you got lots of coworkers who are also working in the same office, and you will feel the competitive and cooperative working atmosphere, which is also likely to boast your productivity. And, actually, lots of company have very relaxing and flexible working environment, where they can even play their own music. In sharp contrast, you will feel sleepy and tend to slack off when working in your comfy home.
18. Some people like to spend their vacation in countryside. Others like vacationing in the cities. Which do you prefer and explain why.
Personally, I would choose to go on a vacation in the country. The only reason for me to go on a vacation is to get away from the busy streets and concrete jungles n the city, and get a chance to be close to mother nature. By traveling in the country, I might find a nice spot to go camping and appreciate the beautiful starry sky at night, and enjoy the tranquility, I don't have the chance to enjoy that kind of moment when living in the city. Also, traveling in the country makes it easier for me to do some hiking, like walking on the trail, and do some fishing and BBQ.
19. Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?It is easier to be a teacher than to be a student?
Personally, I don't agree with that. Actually, it is way easier to be a student than being a teacher. To begin with, to be good teachers, one needs to have years of teaching experience, a good educational background and even a lively character. Frankly, that is very hard to do. However, everyone has a privilege to be a student. Apart from that, a teacher has far more tricky situations to deal with than students. For example, lots of students, especially kids misbehave in class, they interrupt the teacher, shout out the answer without raising their hands, or even walk around the classroom. The teachers have to discipline them, at the same time they have to make sure the students still have enough motivation to learn.
20. While traveling, some people prefer to go to new places, others prefer to visit familiar places. Which do you think it better? Explain why.
Personally, I would to choose to travel to new places instead of familiar places. I am the kind of person who likes new and exciting things and exploration. Just visiting a familiar place is not fun, and actually it is pretty boring. On top of that, traveling around in different places makes me a well-rounded person. When travelling, I got a chance to talk to locals and get to know their culture, customs and way of living. By interacting with them I can broaden my horizon and have new perspective on things.
21. Some people believe that the high school should teach music and art as other basic science. Some people think that providing music and art education for high school students is not necessary. What is your opinion and why?
Personally, I think high school students should learn art and music. Actually, it can be very rewarding to learn some art, like kids might understand how to appreciate delicate artwork, such as, porcelain vase, water color painting, sculpture. Plus, art is the expression of the humanity. Without it, we would have no hope, no aspirations, no joy, just nothing meaningful and enlightening, and one can never underestimate the value of art and music, actually, If you try any form of art, you will get a break from the stresses of life, work and study!
22. Do you agree or disagree with the statement: people will read fewer books in the future than they do today.
Personally, I agree that people tend to read fewer books in the future. To begin with, people especially city dwellers seem to be busier than ever before. Professionals and students alike are under constant pressure; sales people are busy closing deals with their clients, and students have endless assignments to finish. All these combined leaves them no time to read books. Additionally, in the past, books are the major source for knowledge. However, in sharp contrast, people nowadays tend to retain information through all kinds of media, like internet, TV, so on and so forth. It seems that books no longer play a big role in people's lives.
23. If you were to choose a class to study for fun, which one would you choose? An art class or a science class?
Personally, I prefer to choose take an art class. I think it is very relaxing, and at the same time, it can be very rewarding to learn some art, like I might understand how to appreciate delicate artwork, such as, porcelain vase, water color painting, sculpture. Plus, art is the expression of the humanity. Without it, we would have no hope, no aspirations, no joy, just nothing meaningful and enlightening, and one can never underestimate the value of art and music, actually, If you try any form of art, you will get a break from the stresses of life, work and study!
24. Some people enjoy indoor activities, other prefer to do outdoor activities. Which do you prefer?
Personally, I like to get out and have some fun, to begin with I have more choices if I choose to do outdoor activities, like climbing mountain, go fishing, go boating or canoeing. However, if I chose to stay indoors, I feel like I would be bound by the activities that I could do. It is much more exciting and relaxing to do activities outdoors, since not only can I keep fit, but also I have a chance to breath fresh air and I am not bound by the limited space indoors.
25. It is appropriate that students disagree with their instructor.
Personally, teachers and students have totally different background, experience, and positions, thus they might have their own unique and distinctive perspective. It is normal and okay for them to hold two different opinions, otherwise, it will be very boring and monotonous, and there is no clash of idea, which might be detrimental to students. Students might subject themselves to conformity instead of expressing their ideas. Actually, students should be inclusive, rather than being exclusive to different opinions and ideas since sometimes only a few people hold the truth. Students should be exposed to all kinds of opinions, and it is proper for them to disagree with their instructors.
26. A/D: It is important to live close to your family.
Personally, I prefer to live close to my parents for the following reasons. To begin with, I am family person, and I enjoy spending time with my families. To spending some quality time once in a while is very important to me, and living close to my parents can help to do that more conveniently. Plus, if we live close to each other, we can constantly look out for one another. Like if I got sick or have some kind of emergencies, my parents can attend me in a timely manner. Also, they are getting old, and they need my immediate care, things can be much easier if I live close to them.
27. Some universities expect students to choose their major when they enter university. Others let students wait until the second or third year. Which do you think is better and why?
Personally, I prefer to let students wait until second or third year to choose their major. To begin with, students struggle to blend in the university culture for the first year, since high school and university are too different. In high school, students get proper guidance and instruction on everything, however, in a university, students are responsible for themselves and the professors might not even know their names, therefore, it's a bad idea to deal with too many things at the same time. Unfortunately, if they choose their major after 2 to 3 years, students get a chance to be exposed to classes in different field, and they can take their time and pick up a major that they like. Eventually, they have enough motivation because of their interest.
28. Do you prefer to live alone or live with others.
Personally, I prefer to live alone. Actually, I am very private person, most of the time, I keep things to myself. I would get distracted if I chose to live with others who I might not familiar with. Actually, I am highly efficient when I do things without the disturb of others, like when I study I feel more comfortable when nobody is around me. Plus, someone you are living with might have totally different habits and schedule when it comes to when to study or sleep or even watch TV. It would be really disruptive when one wants to study while the other prefers to watch TV.
29. Some students prefer to go to universities or colleges in their hometown. Others prefer to go to universities or colleges in new cities or towns. Which do you prefer and why? Include details and examples in your explanation.
Personally, I prefer to study in a new city. I think it is very boring to stay in your city, where you have been living for almost 20 years, they people you will meet are still those you met during primary school and high school. However, to be able to study in another city, you get a chance to learn their local cultures, appreciate the natural beauty, and above all meet more exciting people, and by interacting with local people and making new friend in that city during college, you can broaden your horizon and enrich you life experience.
30. When traveling, do you prefer to stay at one place for a long time or spend less time but visit more places? Explain you answer in details.
Personally, I prefer to stay at one place for a long time. As for me, the purpose of traveling around is to experience the local cultures and customs, appreciate the natural beauty there. You might have to take your time and interact with the locals, taking photos, and it is quite impossible for one to achieve that if they just leave the place the time they arrive. Additionally, traveling between places waste lots of precious time, which can be otherwise used to experience and understand one single place. Also, it saves you the trouble to plan a complicated itinerary and you don't have to worry about getting stuck on your way to the next destination.
作者簡介
孟炎，託福(TOEFL)口語優秀主講師，畢業於密蘇裡大學哥倫比亞分校，經濟學碩士，SAS高級程式設計師。託福110分，GRE高分通過，2008年外研社全國大學生英語競賽特等獎 (全省僅4人)，演講比賽優勝獎;全額獎學金獲得者，曾在經濟系任研究生助教教授美國本科生經濟學課程。
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(編輯：Joe)