_____________________________________________________
These paragraphs talk about some of
China's cities.
A Description of Xi'an (Personal paragraph; Amy,
Junior 2002-03)
I
love Xi'an, my hometown, because of its history, food and people. Xi'an
most remarkable feature is that many ancient ruins still exist. The
emperors of eleven dynasties in ancient China set their capitals in Xi'an.
Secondly, there are various delicious snacks here (especially on Snack
Street), and Xi'an gathers flavors from all over the country. Last but not
least, people in Xi'an are very friendly, warm-hearted, diligent and
brave. However, Xi'an isn't perfect. The biggest problem in is pollution,
and sometimes you see sandstorms in spring or fall. Nonetheless, I believe
Xi'an has a bright future; people here are trying their best to improve
the environment. I love my hometown, and I welcome you to come meet the
wonderful people, taste the great food, and learn about Xi'an's rich
history.
Beijing Undergoing Great Changes for the 2008 Olympics (Academic
paragraph; Laura, English Teacher at
YNUBS
2005)
Great structural and social changes have been taking place in Beijing
while the city prepares for the coming 2008 Olympics. First, Beijing is in
the midst of a dizzying architectural transformation aimed at creating a
modem, high-tech metropolis by 2008. The city is preparing to erect the
80,000-seat, 360-million-dollar National Stadium, nicknamed “bird’s nest.”
A 17,000-seat National Swimming Center and eighteen other sports
facilities are also being built. Furthermore, Beijing's public
transportation system is being improved. About 150 kilometers of subway
and urban railway lines are under construction to make downtown traffic
smoother. Beijing International Airport will be connected to the city
center with a high-speed railway. Third, Beijing people are starting to
learn English so that they can communicate more effectively with the
expected 42 million foreign visitors, and many Beijing citizens are
enthusiastic about doing volunteer work during the Olympics. These
architectural and transportation enhancements and an increased number of
English speakers will ensure that Beijing’s 2008 Olympics are “the
best-ever Olympic Games.” (166 words)
Changes
Bring Prosperity to Kunming (Academic paragraph; Judy, English Teacher
at
YNUBS 2005)
Because of recent changes, the people of the old and beautiful “Spring
City” of Kunming are enjoying richer lives for themselves, their children,
and their community. Four years ago, visitors only saw narrow roads, short
buildings and polluted lakes, which all suggested that this was a backward
city. People here led ordinary lives, and therefore they didn't have extra
money to enjoy their lives. But now, with the development of the economy,
the living standard has improved. More and more families can afford to buy
cars or even go abroad to travel. Almost no children have to drop out of
school, thanks to the considerate government policies. In addition, people
here have begun to realize the importance of protecting their own families
and they are taking measures to make the city more beautiful. Now the
proud citizens of Kunming are enjoying the educational and material
benefits of economic development. (149 words)
_________________________________________________
The following are good examples of
Reviews from
my Juniors. (I have shown book/CD/movie titles underlined AND in
italics for emphasis.)
CHICKEN SOUP
FOR THE COLLEGE SOUL
Connie, Junior 2002-03
Chicken Soup
For The College Soul, as its name indicates, nourishes me with a
special soup made of love, joy, courage and strength whenever I read it.
Top New York Times best selling authors fill this book with dozens
of inspiring and humorous stories about college life. These true anecdotes
cover various campus topics, such as lessons from college life, friends,
tough stuff, communication and graduation. Although all the stories were
written by native English speakers, we can share similar memorable
experiences of transition from home to college and from adolescence to
adulthood. As part of the successful Chicken Soup series,
the book was specially compiled to prepare college students for their many
emotional challenges. For every college student, Chicken Soup for
the College Soul is indeed worth reading, for its stories will
always offer the inspiration, motivation, insights and comic relief you
need.
A CHANCE OF
SUNSHINE Sky,
Junior 2002-03
A Chance of
Sunshine is one of my favorite music CDs. Exactly speaking, it is
a musical story. The price is just seven yuan. Maybe you have read Jimmy’s
cartoon A Chance of Sunshine, but this CD gives you
different feelings from the book. To my surprise, Jimmy (the author) and
Elva (a famous pop star) tell the whole story on this CD: A boy get used
to walking right and a girl used to walking left. Although they live in
the same flat, they never meet each other. Finally, they come across each
other in the park and fall in love. Unluckily, they lose their respective
telephone numbers and have no chance to meet again. The CD features some
dulcet background music. When listening to songs like “Tiger in The
Night,” “Lullaby for Lucas,” and “Quai,” I always lose myself. No doubt,
A Chance of Sunshine is worth collecting because its sweet
music and sad love story will soon become your favorite too!
THE ADVENTURES
OF TOM SAWYER Eddie,
Junior 2002-03
The Adventures
of Tom Sawyer, by Mark Twain, is a great literary work. This book
describes an interesting story in which some smart boys defeated a bad
guy. Tom Sawyer (a mischievous and disobedient boy) played a game with his
friends in which the boys played the role of brave Red Indians. While
testing their courage is a graveyard, they saw a murder. An innocent man
was charged with the crime; Tom rescued him by exposing the real murderer
– Injun Joe. But Injun Joe escaped from the courthouse, putting Tom and
his friends in great danger. At the end Tom and his friends defeated the
murderer and actually became rich. Through a lot of funny things that
happen in the story, Mark Twain makes us laugh and think. Which is more
important, good behavior or a pure heart? Let a young boy show you the
answer in the Mark Twain classic: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.
FU TIAN FAST FOOD
RESTAURANT Paul,
Junior 2002-03
Fu Tian Fast Food
Restaurant is an instant food service place. I often go there and find it
really a good one. It offers customers both western food and Chinese fast
food. Bread with juice, sandwich biscuits, sesame seed cake, roast meat
and bean cake are tasty and easy to take away. Soybean milk and nonfat
milk are always fresh. The fast service is suitable for office workers.
Besides specially made sweet bread, cake, cooked food and tasty soup, Fu
Tian Fast Food Restaurant also provides popular low-priced dishes. Due to
the variety of dishes available and its convenient service, Fu Tian Fast
Food Restaurant is really a good place to enjoy your meals. I highly
recommend that you go there and have a try.
A Review of
Titanic Erica,
Junior 2002-03
The film
Titanic is really titanic! The main story (about love between a
man and a woman) happened on a vessel named Titanic which sank in the
North Atlantic. This film exhibits plenty of drama—luxurious feasts, the
power of nature and desperate struggles for life. Each spectacle is
accompanied by fitting and touching music. The alternate cinematographic
use of present realities and memories lends credibility to this film.
However, Titanic is not only a story but also a vivid
description reflecting deep thinking about love, lives and human nature.
Each of these elements has two conflicting sides—selfish and generous
love, frail and strong lives, noble and humble facets of human nature. As
the North Atlantic is full of treasures to be explored, the film
Titanic is flowing with values for your eyes, ears and hearts to
discover.
WHO MOVED MY
CHEESE Clara,
Junior 2002-03
Who Moved My
Cheese is a philosophical story that tells people how to adjust
themselves to their changeable lives. The story has four heroes: two
little mice and two short little men. They live in a place where there is
a lot of cheese. However, one day the cheese is moved away and they cannot
find it. Finally, after overcoming a series of difficulties, one of the
short men (who is not afraid of changes and who actively thinks about
questions) discovers the cheese. From this story I learned that when I
confront difficulties, I should not complain or be frightened. In order to
find the solution, I must adjust myself to the change, and that is the
right attitude toward life. Who Moved My Cheese can be the
guide you need when you feel puzzled and depressed. Just read it.
_________________________________________________
The following editorials
were written in May 2003 in response to the
SARS
virus.
Prevention: the Best
Medicine Jessie,
Junior 2002-03
When SARS came, students
suddenly became aware of keeping personal hygiene. While cleaning up the
dormitories, they were surprised by the mess they had produced and stored.
Likewise, while they take the preventive medicine, they have doubts about
its effectiveness if they go on living in dirt.
People believe that prevention
is better than cure. However, good living habits are better than
prevention. Prevention and cure are the measures people take consciously
when something bad is coming, or has come. Such measures may cause
nervousness with their connotations of emergency. For example, it is
reported that two panic-stricken students have taken so much medicine that
they got diarrhea. In contrast, good living habits are a series of routine
activities that are beneficial. They are done subconsciously on all
occasions. Sayings like “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” and “early
to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” point out
that good living habits are the best safeguard.
The SARS’ invasion has provided
an impetus to remind people of how to live healthily. The point is: people
should have good living habits at all times because they offer
continuous protection against illness.
The Restricted but
Joyful Campus Life Elaine,
Junior 2002-03
With the spread of the SARS
epidemic, NPU students are not allowed to go out of campus. Some students
complain about the boring life in this “Forbidden City,” while others
enjoy these special circumstances.
Actually, the restricted campus
life is not that bad. With nowhere to go, more and more students enjoy
sports, such as playing badminton and table tennis, which are helpful to
build people up. Furthermore, students play with sandbags, Hula Hoops and
Jianzi (a bag made of leather and copper for kicking). All these games
make people nostalgic and bring back their good memories. The restricted
campus life helps to promote communication between students, too. They sit
on the lawn with their friends, singing, chatting and playing cards. They
are enjoying the leisure time that they have not had for a long time.
Apart from that, some students take photos on campus. Amazingly, they find
that early summer has come and the campus is filled with many flowers—all
of which they have neglected to notice before.
Though students cannot enjoy as
much entertainment as before, the restricted campus life with sports,
friendship and a peaceful atmosphere is pleasant as well.
_________________________________________________
These essays are from my 2002-2003
sophomores. One is a recipe, the last two (Academic Essays) are
about Chinese culture, and the others (Academic Paragraphs) tell
about various celebrations in China.
Basi Banana
Recipe (Fraya, Sophomore 2002-03)
Basi Banana (Silken
Bananas) is a favourite Chinese dish with traditional flavor. First, make
three bananas into lumps, and dip them in a mixture of one egg, 1 T water
and a cup of flour. Next, put a pan of 3T oil on the stove with high heat
for five minutes. Then, put the bananas into the pan. After two minutes,
take them out, and add 2T oil and 1T sugar into the pan. Then put the
bananas into the pan with low heat. After ten minutes, take them out and
serve them. When you pick up a banana lump you will find something like
“silk” connecting it to the others—hence it’s name! Most Chinese people do
not like sweets but both adults and children like stir-fried Basi Bananas
because they are delicious. Try them; and you will like them, too!
Academic Paragraphs about
celebrations in China
70th Birthday Celebrations in Zhejiang
(Kris, Sophomore 2002-03)
People in Zhejiang like to hold a three-step, family
celebration on their 70th birthday. First, all the
family members attend a gathering to discuss the details of the celebration. Then
there is a ceremony party. The honored guest always wears a traditional “Tang Zhuang” with the Chinese character
shou (long-life) on it. Young people
give their best wishes to the elder and the elder gives red envelopes
containing money to them. After that, a reception for the guests is
held; often, excellent food is served. Family participation and a special
dinner party make 70th birthday celebrations in Zhejiang a happy time.
The Celebration for
a One-month-old Child (Megan, Sophomore 2002-03)
By tradition, parents
hold a celebration when their child is one month old. Take my nephew, for
example. On that day many relatives came to my nephew’s home, and gave him
beautiful clothes or toys with blessings. Furthermore, they expressed
their concern to the mother. The baby’s grandparents gave him a special
ancient chain made up of new money and coins. It can protect the baby.
After that, a reception for all the guests was held at home. The
traditional one-month-old child celebration gives relatives a chance to
shower gifts and blessings on a baby, and to show that he has been
accepted as a member of society.
The Celebration for
the First Birthday. (Jean, Sophomore 2002-03)
A Chinese baby’s first birthday is
important because the child’s choices and the parent’s gift to neighbors
may predict or influence the baby’s future. On a baby’s first
birthday, relatives get together and put many symbolic things on the
table. For example, a pen stands for being good at studying, a brush
predicts artistic talent, an abacus stands for math ability, and an apple
represents life-long safety (in Chinese, “apple” sounds like “safe”).
Then, they let the baby grasp one thing to predict what will happen to
him/her in the future. The parents also send their neighbors eggs, painted
red in order to bring good luck. A symbolic party game, family and
friends' participation, and parents' hopes combine to make a Chinese
baby's first birthday memorable and meaningful.
The
Four Steps in a Chinese Wedding
(Ashley, Sophomore 2002-03)
In China, the journey of marriage
begins with four interesting and joyful steps. First, the bride’s parents choose a
"lucky" day for
the wedding based on the Chinese lunar calendar. When that day arrives, the groom,
following by his relatives and friends, joyously goes to pick up the bride
at her home. At
noon, the bride and groom go to a restaurant where they have a party with
their relatives and friends. The bride usually wears a red dress and the
groom wears a black suit to the party. The couple offer good food in
exchange for lots of toasts with "double-happiness" wine. Afterwards, the
party continues at the bridal chamber, as young relatives and guests go
along to tease the newlyweds. In modern China, a couple often has their
marriage license before the day chosen by parents arrives, but only after
a traditional wedding--complete with a joyful visit to the bride, a
toast-filled meal and the teasing of friends--are two people publicly
acknowledged as a married couple.
Alternate
topic sentences:
Choices, a party, and joyful visits help make a wedding day
fun in China.
Four steps bring luck and create a happy atmosphere at
traditional Chinese weddings.
Alternate
conclusions:
Choosing a lucky day, going to the bride's home,
celebrating with guests, and teasing the newlyweds give a Chinese wedding
a cheerful atmosphere.
A Chinese wedding is interesting and enjoyable because it
includes participation from parents, morning fun at the bride's home, a
festive wedding party with loved ones, and even teasing from young guests
on the wedding day.
An Ethnic Coming-of-age
Ceremony (Belinda, Sophomore 2002-03)
Eighteen-year-olds in the Miao and Tu Jia
ethnic groups hold a special ceremony to celebrate this important
milestone. In general, the celebration is held on July 22. On that day,
many single 18-year-old men and women, carrying their favorite
possessions, gather on the bank of the Sun River. First, women and men
compete by singing songs. The more songs you can sing, the best singer you
will be. Then, men exchange their favorite possessions with women. If a
man falls in love with a woman at this celebration, he must sell his
possession to the women rather than exchange it for hers. If the woman
bargains with the man, it implies that the man can date her. Finally, when
evening is coming, women and men sing and dance hand in hand by an open
fire. This ceremony ends at midnight. Interesting festivals are common
among China's minorities, and this celebration that includes singing,
dancing and dating, is an important feature of life for 18-year-olds in
the Miao and Tu Jia ethnic groups.
Christmas Day in China
(Emily, Sophomore 2002-03)
Many Chinese
people like to celebrate the foreign festival of Christmas Day by singing,
dancing, and spending time with friends. People from all walks of life celebrate it with
their families or friends. If you celebrate it in Xi’an, many people go to
East Street on Christmas Eve. Some of them wear a mask; some say hello to
strangers. On this night, all clubs, cinemas and KTVs are full of people.
They drink, dance and sing to their hearts’ content. Some of them play all
night. In addition, some good friends give a gift to each other. This is a
special Christmas celebration for Shaanxi people who relax with various
forms of entertainment. For a growing number of Chinese people, the
friendly, music-filled celebration of Christmas has become a fun way to
enjoy a special night with friends.
Lei Feng Commemoration Day--Honoring
a Chinese Hero (Carole, Sophomore 2002-03)
The name Lei Feng is well
known in China, for this famous soldier exemplified the spirit of service. He was born in
old China, and his parents died when he was a child. After New China was
founded, he joined the Chinese People’s Liberation Army. From then on he
helped others very often, but never told them his name. He gave his money
to help poor people, and always tried his best to help those who were in
trouble. Lei Feng said that since he was fed by the people he was a son of
the people, so if others had some trouble he must help them.
Unfortunately, Lei Feng died
in an accident when he was young. The people of China have made March 5
“Learn From Lei Feng Commemoration Day.” Lei Feng's life shows how common
people, filled with a self-less
desire to serve others, can make a difference in this world.
Academic Essays about
Chinese Culture
Firecrackers (Sunny & Patty, Sophomores 2002-03)
Setting off firecrackers is a traditional way to celebrate a
holiday or a success in China. Firecrackers are important to Chinese
people because they stand for delight, festivity and good luck.
The invention of firecrackers is linked to the ancient
beginning of Chinese New Year. It was said that there was a huge, evil
animal named Nian in ancient China. People suffered a lot from it and they
took great pains to cast it out. Finally, they found that Nian was afraid
of crackling fire, so they lit some fireworks and Nian ran away.
From then on, people led a happy and safe life and they
celebrated that day every year. This custom was passed from generation to
generation and the day when Nian ran away is known as Chinese New Year.
Many years later, people started to use firecrackers instead of fire.
People made all the firecrackers red because red stands for good luck.
There are various kinds of firecrackers and fireworks and they
are used on many occasions. During a fireworks display, you can enjoy
yourself as hundreds of fireworks beautifully decorate the night.
Furthermore, firecrackers are no longer restrained to New Year’s Eve.
People set them off to celebrate any happy event, such as a birthday
party, a housewarming, or a wedding.
Setting off firecrackers, as a traditional way of celebrating
in China, is important to Chinese people. It has an interesting history
and people still enjoy setting them off on many celebration occasions.
The Chinese Dragon (Jimmy and Jordan, Sophomores 2002-03)
The Chinese dragon is a symbol of China.
Although dragons are imaginary
creatures, they are well received by Chinese people as auspicious
supernatural beings. People use them in many celebrations and decorations.
The Chinese dragon was born with the first Chinese emperor,
Qin (BC221-BC209). Qin thought he was the son of Heaven and he had the
power to rule the country. To emphasize how he was different from general
civilians, he said he was an incarnation of a dragon and asked his
officials to create a symbol for him. After working hard, they produced a
dragon with a snake-like body, a unicorn head and tail, and eagle-like
claws. From then on, all the emperors accepted this symbol and it lasted
until the year 1910, in which the last feudal emperor disappeared in
China.
For over 2000 years, the Chinese have taken the dragon as an
auspicious supernatural being. It can bring good luck to people. It can
harmonize the wind, the rain, the snow and the sunlight to bring a good
harvest. It stands for peace and happiness.
Chinese people like to present dragons on important occasions.
People usually have dragon dances to celebrate great days. They also use
paper-cut dragons to decorate their windowpanes, walls, etc.
From the day it was born, the Chinese dragon has been loved
not only as a symbol of power but also as a symbol of good luck, peace and
happiness. As a heavenly sign that promises success, the dragon serves
well as the main symbol of China. It appears on important occasions and
celebrates great festivals with the Chinese people. The Chinese dragon has
long been a part of the Chinese spirit and a part of our lives.
TEM-4 Sample Essays
(Following
are some sample essays, written/revised by Michael’s 2005 NPU students. I
think the TEM-4 graders are looking for answers like these. Each essay had
is around 200 words, as required on the exam.)
Click here to see my notes regarding how to write an essay for this
important exam.
It Pays to be Honest (Raphael)
As the society is becoming more commercialized, it seems that
profit and interest are the vital important factors of life. In order to
get success, some people cheat others. However, it pays to be honest if
you want to get a good relationship with other and win a permanent
reputation.
First and foremost, honesty is a virtue that can help you
acquire good interpersonal relationships. Since people live in a large
community, when dealing with people, you have to be honest. It will leave
people a bad impression if you cheat them. Gradually, you will be
isolated. On the contrary, if you communicate with them honestly, people
will be willing to strengthen relations with you. Therefore, you will gain
good interpersonal relationships.
Furthermore, dishonesty can’t be everlasting. Even though you
enjoy an honored reputation through cheating, the trust will come out
sooner or later. “You can cheat once, but you can’t cheat for a whole
life,” as the Chinese proverb goes. In the long run, it’s worthwhile to be
honest.
Honesty is still important in modern life, because it entitles
you to not only good interpersonal relationships but also an everlasting
reputation. What people need to do is treasure it and apply it to daily
life.
It Pays to be Honest (Jeffson)
Honesty, which is regarded as a virtue, can bring people or
nations much praise; while dishonesty, as sin, can bring people or nations
much trouble. Therefore, it pays to be honest.
More often than not, honest people or nations are well treated
by their counterparts, while dishonest ones are usually looked down upon;
the results for them are poles apart. Honest people win good reputations,
for what they say counts, and people can turn to them for help. In order
to show gratitude and respect, people are glad to make friends with them
and treat them as well as possible. So is the case with nations. Nations
who always keep to what they say will win credit. Therefore, other nations
are willing to trade or cooperate with them, which may help these nations
flourish. By contrast, dishonest people or nations are often met with
distrust. For example, a nation notorious for pirating products will not
share other nation’s markets, and its economy will be severely affected.
To summarize, honesty can bring fame to people or flourish
countries; while dishonesty can ruin them. So to be honest is not merely
an expression of good virtue but also a clever choice.
It Pays to be Honest (Lillian)
With the development of the society, more and more people have
become dishonest. The consequences can be in everything from personal
relationships to the death rate. Therefore, honesty is a basic
characteristic that human beings must have and it is very important to the
world.
For one thing, being honest will produce better relationships
directly. There will be fewer misunderstandings among people. For
instance, if a couple is honest with each other all the time, they will
have a good relationship in their family. If they are dishonest,
everything will be the opposite.
For another thing, honesty will reduce the death rate. An
honest doctor can save a lot of people, but a dishonest doctor can kill a
great number of people with his/her dishonest words because some wrong
medicines may cause patients to lose their lives.
To sum up, the world needs honest people, so all of us should
be honest. Better relationships, less misunderstandings, and reducing the
death rate depend on honest hearts. Therefore, honesty and dishonesty are
closely related to our lives, societies, and even the whole world.
It Pays to be Honest (Helen)
In recent years, people have become more individualistic. Some
people have even become more selfish. They have forgotten the value that
has long served as a foundation of Chinese character: honesty.
The traditional value of honesty can enhance relationships
because it is a foundational aspect of our character. First of all,
honesty is one of the wonderful traditions in China. Because it has
influenced many generations, we should keep honesty firmly in our minds.
Moreover, honesty is a good way to enhance the relationships among people.
If you treat your friends or relatives honestly, they will treat you
honestly in return. In other words, people will get on well with each
other with the help of honesty. Finally, honesty is one of the elementary
aspects of our whole character. Because of honesty, we can trust others,
and also others can trust us. It provides a chance for people to
communicate with each other equally and fairly.
To summarize, honesty is one of the wonderful traditions in
China; it can enhance people’s relationships, and it is one of the
elementary aspects of our character. We should treat everyone honestly in
our daily lives.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Rachel)
If every student on campus wastes a gram of
rice and throws away a piece of paper every day, the total waste would be beyond people’s
imagination. Even small resources, when used well, can help meet
needs and aid development. Students can reduce waste on campus by saving food and
paper.
In order to avoid wasting food, students and cafeteria workers
must make an effort to ensure the balance of supply and demand for food.
Students can buy a certain amount of food everyday which is just enough
for their needs. Cafeteria workers can provide students with different
amounts of food to cater for different needs.
Making the most of a piece of writing paper is another way to
reduce waste on campus. Students often throw away pieces of paper, that
are just partly used. Once students become aware that wasting paper is an
ill habit especially while doing calculations, they can write smaller and
make full use of margins. Also, both sides of paper can be used.
College students should try their utmost to reduce waste on
campus by saving food and paper. Students should take these little
responsibilities seriously, because for a country to develop, the problem of
waste should never be ignored.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Leroy)
Reducing waste on campus is necessary and important because waste makes
the campus dirty and unattractive. Increasing the cleaners’ dutifulness
and the students’ responsibility are the two most effective ways to reduce
waste.
To begin with, the cleaners on campus should do their work
dutifully. Each campus has many cleaners whose work is to clean the campus
everyday. If they do it heart and soul, there will be less waste on
campus. However, there are many cleaners who are not dutiful enough, which
results in a dirty school. Therefore, the cleaners’ dutifulness is very
important.
In addition, students on campus are responsible for cleaning
their school. Many students have bad behavior, such as throwing out waste
everywhere. If they pay more attention to their bad behavior, the school
will become cleaner. However, if they do not care about their bad
behavior, then it is not hard to imagine what the school will be like.
In conclusion, both cleaners and students play an important
role in reducing waste on campus. Every cleaner and every student should
realize their importance and set a good example to others, so that the
campus will become more beautiful and attractive.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Daniel)
Due to the improvement of the living standard, wasting water
and food have become habitual among many students on campus. It is even
worse that some of them consider wasting acceptable.
Wasting water is common on campus. First, without the help of
their parents, lots of students have to do washing by themselves.
Therefore, many of them use a large amount of water only to wash a pair of
socks. They are not aware of the importance of water. Second, there are
always some careless people, who forget to turn off the tap and leave the
water running.
In addition, it is quite normal to see that students throw
away their food when too much is left. For example, they spend plenty of
money on drinks for a party, but when they are no longer thirsty, they
leave them without hesitation. Everyone is used to it.
Wasting water and food seem quite little but actually they are
to some extent huge problems. They indicate that students are not thrifty
and not responsible. Therefore, if students really learn to consider
wasting as a bad habit and take action to reduce it from now on, then
campus is not only a place for study, but also a place to develop healthy
habits that will improve society.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Sunny)
Waste is shameful. However, even in universities, educated
people are wasteful at the very time when the world is lacking resources.
Food and paper waste are two remarkable problems on campus.
Waste happening in cafeterias should stop first. While walking
into cafeterias, the first sight coming to people’s eyes is not delicious
food, but wasted rice and dishes poured in a huge bucket. In China, there
are still numerous poor people in remote areas who don’t have enough food
to feed themselves. If the food that cannot be eaten were saved and
distributed, it would help many starving people.
Next is the problem of paper waste on campus. Recently, more
and more printed advertisements are filling the campuses. They are
advertisements for job-hunting, CET exam training, and so on. Most people
throw those advertisements away after they receive them, which results in
paper pollution on campus. If people don’t print so many useless
advertisements, how many trees can be saved?
If people save the food they waste, there may not be so many
famines; if people change to another means to advertise, the earth will be
covered with more vital forests. These are just two examples of the
benefits of reducing waste on campus.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Helen)
Every afternoon when walking
around campus, you will find that all the litterbins on campus are full of
waste. Then you can see how much waste people at NPU produce. Reducing
waste on campus is extremely vital because of the pollution it brings;
because of China’s needs, and because of China’s global reputation.
Wasting brings pollution and
goes against the fact that China is a developing country with a tradition
of being economical. First, too much waste results in pollution. Pollution
poses a great threat to people’s existence. Furthermore, China is still a
developing country despite its conspicuous development. Many Chinese still
live in poor conditions, so their fellow citizens should not be wasteful.
Last, a lot of the so-called waste thrown away is still useful. Chinese
people have great renown for being frugal, so they ought to make
reasonable use of everything.
In conclusion, the harm of
pollution, the needs of a developing country, and the tradition of being
frugal all demonstrate that it is wrong to waste. NPU students should
learn not to waste, and then take this to their jobs so that the whole
community can make better use of the precious resources.
Reduce Waste on Campus (Alice)
The waste on campus has
recently been causing a series of terrible problems. Due to this
situation, it is time for us to reduce it on campus, because it will
provide students with a clean study environment and prevent them from
suffering some terrible or even fatal disease.
For one thing, reducing waste
on campus can give students a clean study environment. If students study
in a dirty place all the time, they will be depressed and will not focus
on their studies. Most students prefer to study in a clean environment
rather than study in a dirty place. Reducing waste can create a good
environment to help students study more effectively.
For another thing, reducing
waste can prevent students from suffering some infectious diseases. SARS,
for example, is a well-known deadly epidemic, and this kind of virus
spreads easily, especially in dirty and crowded places. There are so many
students studying and living on campus that if it is always dirty,
diseases like SARS will spread easily and quickly.
In conclusion, a campus with
less waste can help students stay focused in clean surroundings and keep
away from diseases. Therefore, everybody on campus should work diligently
to reduce waste and make the campus cleaner, healthier, and more
beautiful.
Studying Abroad (Vivian)
With the development of
China’s economy, parents have become
more willing to send their children to study abroad. Some people believe
that studying abroad has some disadvantages, like a great expense and
loneliness. However, others think studying abroad has far more advantages.
First of all, studying abroad can broaden students’ minds and
open their eyes. Students go abroad to study different cultures, advanced
knowledge and various views. All of these help students to learn about the
world by a new way.
In addition, studying abroad can also improve students’
English. Students are in an ideal environment to improve their English.
The native speaker can help them with their pronunciation and grammar. The
most important thing is that English will surround students most of the
time during their studies.
Finally, studying abroad can help students to form an
independent character. Since students study abroad alone, they have to
decide everything by themselves; although they will be more or less
homesick, they will gain a lot.
Studying abroad can help students broaden their minds, open
their eyes, improve their English and form an independent character.
Therefore, many parents in China believe that studying abroad is important
for their children’s future.
The Advantages of Overseas Study (Edward)
With the deepening of reform and openness, more and more
Chinese students are going abroad to further their studies. Studying
abroad has become a fashion for not only does it improve students’ foreign
languages, but is also broadens their minds.
Overseas study improves students’ ability to use a foreign
language. Living and studying abroad, they need to communicate with others
in a foreign language. Moreover, almost all the classes and lectures are
given by foreigners rather than Chinese. In that case, students are
practicing the foreign language and making progress every day.
Overseas study also broadens student’s minds. Different
countries have their own different cultures, thus it is interesting for
Chinese students to learn foreign customs and cultures. Being abroad,
students communicate with local people and are affected by different
social environments. They have their minds broadened because they see and
do what they cannot experience at home.
Studying abroad improves student’s foreign languages and
broadens their minds, which benefits them a lot and makes them competent
members of the society. Those students who go abroad for further study
will come back with enriched knowledge with which to contribute to the
society.
Disadvantages of Studying Abroad (Neil)
As globalization develops, many Chinese students would like to
pursue their studies abroad. Advantages such as the chance to broaden
one's perspective or obtain advanced information are often promoted, but
many fail to foresee the difficulties. In the end, studying abroad can not help students as
much as many people think because of language difficulties, financial problems
and safety concerns.
First, language is the biggest difficulty that prevents
students from studying well abroad. The countries that most students want
to go to are usually English-speaking countries. Though students have
learned English for several years, they still have difficulties in daily
life. It is even more difficult to study.
Second, financial problems cannot be ignored. Studying abroad
requires a huge sum of money, which lays a burden on the students and
their parents. In that case, the students are often busy making money, not
studying.
Third, safety concerns have been arousing more and more
attention during recent years. Discrimination and terrorism are prevalent
in some countries. Therefore, there is sometimes violence between overseas
students and natives, and overseas students may be attacked because of
events in their mother countries.
Though it has advantages, studying abroad can not satisfy a
student’s need very well due to communication problems, lack of money and
safety issues. Students who want to study abroad had better think
carefully about the ways to solve these problems before going.
