19. Only Stricter Traffic Laws Can Prevent Accidents #@w8wCj
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. ?S~HnIn
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. Mi%i_T^i
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. A0m
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. ONH!ms(kb
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20. Population Control xdFm-_\-
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. YiJnh47
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. ^
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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. ai)S:2
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21.Part-time Jobs for College Students )e d5~ok
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. x4r8^,K3Zn
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. NoTEbFrV
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) _PLY<i2vr
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22. Private Cars :hJHjh
A few years ago, having a private car might be a wild dream to many Chinese families. But today, you can see the number of private cars running along the road and street is increasing rapidly. Statistics show that one in every six families in big cities has a car. Some people say that it is good because the number of car ownerships indicates a country’s auto industry, which in turn shows the country’s general economic development. The fact that more and more people can afford a car demonstrates that people in China enjoy a higher standard of living than they did before. Besides, a private car also adds a new dimension to a family’s work, daily life and leisure activities. ##+|zka!U
Other people think differently. They argue that having private cars may not necessarily mean a more advanced society. It may bring about more stress, instead. More cars would consume more petroleum, produce more air pollution, and thus aggravate the already serious environmental problems. What’s more, another problem remains yet to be solved. Road conditions being what they are esp. in urban areas, accidents become a common occurrence, resulting in thousands of deaths per year. No wonder cars have been considered as the number one deadly weapon in the modern world. tJ>%Xop
I find some truth in both of the arguments mentioned above. I feel it a personal choice to buy a private car. If you can afford it and you really need it to get around, having a car is fine. But remember, try to use environment-friendly type of gasoline and take special care while driving. If you don’t have much need for cars in your work and life, there is no need to follow fashion or keep up with the Jones. Remember, when you cycle, you are living a healthy life and at the same time contributing to our environment protection. GvSSi'q~B
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23.What Have We Learned from SARS? }Qyuy~-&^
In the spring of the year 2003, China has been afflicted with and successfully withstood SARS. The epidemic is now ebbing away. But we should never forget what we have gone through. What’s more important, we should learn a great deal from this experience. 4QC"|<
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First, we understand that in the face of danger, we should fight bravely instead of shrinking away from responsibilities. Doctors and nurses have set shining examples for us. They plunged into their work without considering their own safety. Veo*-sl
Second, we have realized that diseases will yield not only to medical treatment but also to people’s will power. We are so determined in our final success that nothing can stop us from our effort. SARS has no way to go because everyone in the country is guarding against it. !m"LIa#/Cs
Third, we should try to get rid of unhealthy habits. Such behaviors as spitting on the ground and throwing rubbish everywhere are something we should be ashamed of. It’s important that everyone in society develop a good awareness of public sanitation. We should keep our living surroundings clean and healthy just as we do with our own homes. 7r;7'X5
Fourth, we should enforce strict laws to punish those who capture, smuggle and eat rare wild animals. These people not only endanger the animal world by killing but also endanger the human society by bringing in odd diseases. 8mj
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Most important is that we should have an efficient and effective system to deal with outbreak of epidemics. It is a promising sign that our government has already come up with some laws and regulations in this respect. rH*1bDL
The lesson from SARS epidemic has gradually sunk in. To China, it means much more than the loss of over 1000 precious lives. How we respond to it sends a message to the world: China has been actively and effectively combating SARS and China will still be a safe place to live in and an attractive place for travelers and investors. HK&Ul=^VN|
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24. Fast Food ~A@T_*0
Fast food is becoming more popular in China, especially among children and teenagers. Today, it's &.XlXihnt
certainly difficult to think of any other single thing that represents the fast pace of modern society as powerfully as fast food. 8=QOp[w
There are several reasons for its popularity. First, it is very convenient and saves a lot of time. The trends of modern society seem to all point to one ultimate goal--saving time, and fast food well serves this purpose. You just go into a fast food restaurant, order your food, and your food is ready in no time. You can either eat it there or take it away. Second, its popularity is also attributed to the clean and comfortable environment of fast food restaurants, the excellent ervice, and the guaranteed quality of food. vT/e&8w
However, in terms of nutrition, fast food is far from satisfactory. It usually does not compose a Z/-9G
balanced diet and is low in nutritional value. Thus, doctors suggest that people, especially children, eat fast food as little as possible. Although cooking at home is time-consuming and the following washing-up tiresome, it offers healthy and delicious meals your body likes and needs. Fast food is only a good choice when you are in a hurry and turn to it once in a while R=&9M4
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25. My Idea on How for Beijing to Prepare the 2008 World Olympic Games ha[c<e]uo[
As a young student (cadre, engineer, technician), I am an active citizen in greeting the 2008 World Olympic Games. As its host, Beijing is now busy in propagating for its advent. e_RLKFv7
Since it is the first time for Beijing to host such a world gathering, we are naturally short of experience. And since it involves so many aspects, the whole nation should be mobilized to participate in actively. TL&