范文：Will Phones Kill Letter Writing?

　　According to a recent survey made by the China Daily, about 200 million Chinese are using phones as their daily communications means instead of writing letters. So some people say that phones will kill letter writing. But I don’t think so.

　　My argument that phones will not kill letter writing lies in at least three aspects. First, letter writing as a traditional way of communication still has some advantages over phones. For example, if people want to express something confidential to their close friends, they will turn to letter writing. Another example is that rural workers who are working far away from their hometown are more likely to write letters to their families than to make phone calls for the purpose of saving money. Second, letter writing is more authoritative and formal in some way. For instance, people who are doing business will write formal business letters to do a deal; people who want to recommend or introduce someone to someone else will write letter of recommendation or letter of introduction, etc. Last but not least, letter writing is still regarded as a token of friendship among friends. People always write letters to show their everlasting love and affection.

　　All in all, letter writing is still very popular among people. It is still a good way for people to communicate with each other and it is impossible to be killed by phones.

　　范文：My Idea of a University Arts Festival

　　I’ve heard the Student’s Union will host an arts festival next semester. According to my experience, the festival should include the indispensable element—arts education. And the Festival organizer has the necessity to work in conjunction with a volunteer artistic and administrative team.

　　The arts are essential part of education. They give us a unique means of expression, capturing our passions and emotion, and allowing us to explore new ideas, subject matters and cultures. Arts education not only enhances students’ understanding of the world around them, but it also broadens their perspective on traditional academics. The arts give us the creativity to express ourselves, while challenging our intellect. The arts integrate life and learning for all students and are integral in the development of the whole person. So, without arts education, the Arts Festival will not be incomplete. Volunteers, especially those who possess artistic and administrative abilities, should be recruited. Volunteers provide free service so that the total cost of the Festival can be lowered. Besides, they are usually enthusiasts about arts, so their work will be very efficient. Volunteers can be students or professionals, and, volunteers and staff should be treated with the same respect and attention.

　　Our university has so many amazing groups and talented individuals, but there has been no coordinated effort to showcase them. The Arts Festival will bring together undergraduates, professional school students and the community.

　　* Big Company or Small Company

　　Upon graduation from college, young men and women face the first choice in their career life: to go to a large company or a small one? Although many graduates are attracted by the prestige of large companies, I believe small one will afford more chances of success and more opportunities to develop your ability.

　　It is true that working for a big, world-known company will provide you with both status and pride, and because of your association with it, your families and friends will think of you more highly, assuming you are more competent with promising future. But this wouldn’t compensate for the fact that many capable persons end up working as a cog in a big machine. In a small company however, you will feel more responsible and excited, you will have more decisions to make, and you can see the effect of your work and of your decisions right away. What’s more, in a large company you tend to be limited to one procedure and taught one thing only. While you are normally exposed to all kinds of experiences and are expected to do many things in a small company. Last but not least, in large company, the constant need to prove that you are as good as or better than your fellow competitors creates constantly anxiety and stress. In a small company, however, you work comfortably and feel at ease, though you salary may be a little bit lower.

　　Obviously, if you want to be an excellent manager or successful entrepreneur in your future career, working in small companies will provide you more opportunities.

　　* Where Old Sick People Go?

　　It is traditional custom for Chinese old, sick people to live with their children and their grandchildren. But in recent decades, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction. More and more old and sick parents were placed in the nursing homes. Although many people frown on it, I don’t think it is a bad tendency.

　　For the sake of their health, old and sick people are better off being placed in nursing homes. For there they can receive better service and more intensive care of the professional nurses. On the contrary, living in the home they often can’t be taken proper care of as their adult children are often too busy with their own families and their work to give adequate time to them. Most importantly, the old and sick people will be much happier there than at home. As their adult children go to work and grandchildren to school during the day, they have to spend most of the time with themselves. But in nursing homes for elderly they won’t suffer such boredom and loneliness. They can have people of their age to talk and play all day.

　　It is true that the young have the duty to take care of their parents, especially when they are old and sick. But sending the old and sick to the nursing home is not an act of abandonment, but a sign of love. It is something like sending your baby to the kindergarten. It can reduce adult’s burden and worries about their old and sick parents.

　　* Movie Goers or TV Viewers

　　With more and more families owing the most modern TV sets, the number of film goers has declined sharply. While the number of TV movie viewers continue climbing, reaching the highest in history. Although the majority choose to watch TV programs, I like going to movies.

　　Admittedly, watching movies on TV is a comfortable and enjoyable thing. You don’t have to travel to the cinema, risking traffic jams or terrible weather. But to most TV viewers, a movie can’t be enjoyed thoroughly. For one thing, advertisements are frequently inserted in the program, especially at a crucial plot, making the viewers very disappointed. For another, you have very few choices. What shows on TV is often old and out-of-date. Seeing films, however, you can avoid all these drawbacks. Although films are expensive and going to the cinema is not convenient enough, the movie goers can enjoy the film as a real treat. You don’t have to worry about the insertion of ads on the film. You can select the most suitable time and your favorite film. Most importantly, the modern cinema offers the best sound effect and most wonderful atmosphere, which TV can’t produce.

　　A few days ago I invited one of my friends to see a film, a friend who haven’t gone to the cinema for nearly 10 years. After reaching home from the cinema, he telephoned me: “I have never expected the modern cinema has such wonderful effect on me. I’m intoxicated.”

　　* Which Mode of Travel Do You Like?

　　With the increased standard of living and the declining working weeks, more and more people are able to make a holiday trip to places of interest. While many like to join package tours for convenience, I prefer to travel individually.

　　I like traveling on my own not only because it costs much less but because it gives a great degree of independence and freedom. Traveling on my own, I can decide when to start on my way, where to linger a little longer and which spot can be skipped over to save energy or time for another spot. I’m always my own boss. On the contrary, in a package tour you’re deprived of as much freedom as in a military base. At the sound of the whistle, you have to jump up from a sound sleep, and with heavy-lidded eyes, hurry to the gathering place where you are collected and counted to board a coach. At the sight of the little flag waving, you must immediately pull yourself away from the scenes you are marveling at and follow the guide whose sole interest is to cover all spots according to his strict schedule, regardless of the weather or your health condition.

　　True, you may encounter inconvenience if you travel individually, for instance, getting accommodations for the night and finding a place for meals. But nothing can be compared with the freedom, which is vital to a person who takes a holiday trip mainly to escape from the constraints of his routine life.

　　* How to solve Traffic Problems?

　　With the development of industry, heavy traffic has become the source of greatest complaint in many big cities. Two solutions have been recommended so far, and each one has both advantages and disadvantages.

　　One of the solutions is to lay down more roads. The advantage of the first solution is obvious: it can reduce traffic density and hence speed up the flow of buses and cars. But the traffic flows constantly rise to fill whatever scale of roads and highways that are provided for them. Furthermore, in a city with booming industry, land is precious resource and cannot be extravagantly used for traffic. Another solution is to open up more bus routes. People who suggested this said if more bus routes were opened up, the number of bicycles and cars in streets would be decreased; therefore, it is a good means of solving the problem of heavy traffic. But this may give rise to another new set of problems, for example, people may not feel as convenient as they did before.