19. Only Stricter Traffic Laws Can Prevent Accidents DUu:et&c1
From the health pointg of view we are living in a marvelous age. We are immunized from birth against many of the most dangerous diseases. A large number of once fatal illnesses can now be cured by modern drugs and surgery. It is almost certain that one day remedies will be found for the most stubborn remaining diseases. The expectation of life has increased enormously. But though the possibility of living a long and happy life is greater than ever before, every day we witness the incredible slaughter of men, women and children on the roads Men versus the motor-car! It is a never-ending battle which man is losing. Thousands of people the world over are killed or horribly mutilated each year and we are quietly sitting back and letting it happen. RY)x"\D
It has been rightly said that when a man is sitting behind a steering wheel, his car becomes the extension of his personlity. Ther is no doubt that the motor-car ofter brings out a man’s very worst qualities. People who are normally quiet and pleasant may become unrecognizable when they are behind a steering wheel. They swear, they are ill-mannered and aggressive, willful as two-year olds and utterly selfish. All their hidden frustrations, disappointments and jeaslousies seem to be brought to the serface by the act of driving. wo(O+L/w
The surprising thing is that society smiles so benignly on the motorist and seems to condone his behavior. Everything, is done for his convenience. Cities are allowed to become almost uninhabitable because of heavy traffic; towns are made ugly by huge car parks; the countryside is desecrated by road networks; and the mass annual slaughter becomes nothing more than statistic, to be conveniently forgotten. x{w|Hy
Is high time a world code were created to reduce this senseless waste fo human life. With regard to driving, the laws of some countries are notoriously lax and even the strictest are not strict enough. A code which was universally accepted could only have a dramatically beneficial effect on the accident rate. Her are a few examples of some of the things that might be done. The driving test should be stadardized and made far more difficult than it is; all drivers should be made to take a test every three years or so; the age at which young people are allowed to drive any vehicle should be raised to at least 21; all vehicles should be put through stringent annual tests for safety. Even the smallest amount of alcohol in the blood can impair a person’s driving ability. Present drinking and driving laws (where they exist) should be made much stricter. Maximum and minimum speed limits should be imposed on all roads. Governments should lay down safety specifications for manufacturers, as has been done in the USA. All advertising stressing power and performance should be banned. These measures may sound inordinately harsh, but surely nothing should be considered as too severe if it results in reducing the annual toll of human life. After all, the world is for human beings, not motorcars. Z D"*fr
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20. Population Control pd: YR;
Progress in science and the improvement of living conditions have led to the rapid growth of world population. Modern medicine, for example, has made it possible for babies to grow up healthily and for people to live longer. With improved living conditions particularly in the countryside, people tend to have larger families. As a result, the world population has increased so rapidly that it has now exceeded 6 billion. ol_\ "
But the overgrowth of population presents a threat to the existence of food supplies and shelter space. However, the limited productivity and scarce world resources can hardly meet the needs of the ever-increasing population. Thus, in the long run, the overgrowth of the world population will only harm mankind. PuZzl%i
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To guarantee the steady development of human society, mankind must realize the consequences resulting from a fast population growth and carry out a family planning program. Only by adopting effective meausres, can human society develop steadily and have a bright future. Sb2_&5
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21.Part-time Jobs for College Students >+i+_^]
Nowadays, many college boys and girls take part-time jobs in their spare time. Some are employed by the companies near the campus, working as office clerks or computer programmers. Others have become salespersons for the commercial businesses. Foreign language students may serve as interpreters or translators where international cooperation is carried out. Or they may become tour guides for travel agencies. Also, it is a common practice for girl students to become governesses helping children with their school work in their homes. _/P;`@
Many people, including some professors and parents, make no secret of their disapproval of this. On the one hand, they argue that academic pursuit is the main task for college students and that taking part-time jobs distracts their attention and consumes a lot of energy needed. On the other hand, professors and parents tend to believe that college boys and girls need to further cultivate their personality and develop their sense of responsibility before they can be ready for any serious jobs. V[WZ#u-p
But in my opinion, every coin has two sides. It is true that the students’ major task is to study. It is also true that taking part-time jobs will take a lot of time and energy. However, if the students can learn to arrange their time properly, the professors and parents might as well be relieved from all their worries. As many students take jobs related to their fields of study, they can gain some first-hand experience instead of being distracted from their study. Moreover, treated as full adults on their part-time jobs, they will develop their sense of responsibility very soon. When they finally graduate, they will find themselves in a more agreeable social environment.(280w)
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