Internet and Our Life

　　Internet is now one of the best forms of media, with its swiftness and interactivity. Internet is becoming the foundation of our modern society.

　　With the assistance of Internet, more people can now communicate with one another more freely and quickly. Internet also serves to be a great source of wisdom and creation. It is already becoming the electronic library of the future, giving vent to creativity and ingenuity unparalleled in human history. But Internet is a double-bladed sword. Its ability to distribute information and connect people around the world is often abused by us. Junk mail proliferates the Internet. Every year, many young people are deceived by their online friends…… The damage we have suffered from Internet is also too severe to recover.

　　Indeed, Internet access connects many of us to a world of information at the touch of a button. Internet is such an integral part of our life. In order to have Internet serve us human-beings well, we must not take its negative sides for granted. Web sites, especially the web sites available to the young children, must be strictly censored. It’s time we took effective measures to minimize the side effects of Internet.

　　Women, Second-class Citizens?

　　Women won their independence years ago. After a long, bitter struggle, they now enjoy the same educational opportunities as men in most parts of the world.

　　But the hard-fought battle for recognition is by no means over. Top-level political negotiation between countries, business and banking are almost entirely controlled by men, who jealously guard their so-called “rights”. Even in the very progressive places like Switzerland, women haven’t been given the vote. Women continue to be regarded as second-rate citizens. Women are said to be unreliable and irrational. They depend too little on cool reasoning and too much on intuition and instinct to arrive at decisions. They are not even capable of thinking clearly.

　　In fact, women have succeeded in many jobs, as politicians doctors, university professors, farmers, company directors, lawyers, bus-conductors, scientists, etc.. And we must remember that they frequently succeed brilliantly in all these fields in addition to bearing and rearing children. In conclusion, women have proved repeatedly that they are equal and sometimes even superior to men in many fields. The women should not belong to a different species.

　　Fast Food (212 words)

　　Fast food, such as hamburgers, fried chicken, is as much a part of modern life as the automobile and the computer. It is rapidly becoming popular al over the world. Nowadays, time is money. More and more people find it difficult to afford time to sit in restaurants enjoying long, leisurely lunches, or at home waiting for a breakfast or a meal to be prepared. So nobody would deny the fact that fast food is a blessing for busy people, as it helps them make more efficient use of time.

　　On the other hand, there are still those who complain that fast food has little nutritional value. They worry that if people get used to living on fast food, their health will suffer. In addition, the opponents of fast food even worry about the decline in traditional cuisine the fast food industry will bring about. They say that the traditional cuisine will disappear if the trend toward fast food continues.

　　So far as I am concerned, I would like to take a more balanced position. For one thing, few people eat fast food all the time. For another thing, comparing our traditional food with western fast food, we do realize that our traditional cooking is really very appetizing, though a bit time-consuming.

　　Pets (230 words)

　　In the West, many families like to keep a pet. We may be surprised at the amount of money they pay in terms of pets’ food or medical treatment, etc. Keeping a pet, indeed, has many advantages.

　　I have two main reasons for my argument. First of all, pets can be good companions, which is especially important for those who live alone and the old who can not get out much. What they get from the pets is not only hours of amusement but also loyalty. Some pets can even protect the house from thieves. Secondly, taking care of a pet also helps children to be responsible and caring members of the society. A child who learns to be very sensitive to the feelings of a pet can be expected to have positive attitudes to other people and life.

　　However, some others would argue that pets are dirty or dangerous. But I believe it is not that pets themselves are to blame, but their owners. If the owners train their pets properly and take very good care of them, they are unlikely to get dirty or become aggressive.

　　To sump up, there are surely more advantages than disadvantages to keeping a pet, especially for those lonely and young. Money spent on the special food for pets or the high fees paid for pets’ medical treatment is not a waste.

　　Information in The Modern World (174 words)

　　To be well-informed is very important in the modern world. Success or failure in many fields, very frequently, depends on whether the latest information is obtained, not on how much knowledge one has already acquired. This is why the current era is called “Information Age”.

　　There are many ways to get the latest information to keep up with what is going on both at home and abroad. Newspaper reading is a very popular and convenient means. Newspaper articles usually cover almost all kinds of news: local news, regional news, national news, international news... Besides, TV programs also offer varied kinds of news --- news of politics, finance, education, sports... But the most exciting means of obtaining information, I think, should be from computer network. Almost all kinds of the latest information are accessible there.

　　To sum up, I would like to predict that information will play a more and more important part in the future. Without information, we would act like the blind and would find it extremely difficult to make a step forward.

　　Education and Technology (301 words)

　　Education and technology have a close relationship with each other, which becomes increasingly obvious in the modern society. As is known to us all, we live in the ‘information age’ or ‘knowledge explosion age’. The reason for this may be twofold: on the one hand, education is the base for technological advance. Without education, people are unlikely to acquire knowledge, which means that there would be no one applying technology. On the other hand, advanced technology impels the development of education, because advanced technology invariably means more educational opportunities and more varied facilities for education. Hence, a greater number of people will be educated.

　　In order to advance technology, we have to develop education as soon as possible. Otherwise, it would block the speed of development. Developing education has at least two advantages. For one thing, developing education can ensure technologic innovation continuously. Generally speaking, better-educated people, who get more knowledge, are supposed to be more initiative than those who get less education. For the other thing, developing education can guarantee the wide application of technology. With the rapid development of our national economy, technology penetrates every aspect of our life so much so that one would fall into trouble if he learned insufficient knowledge of technology. For example, those who know little about computers will meet with difficulties both in their work and life.

　　In order to carry out education effectively, we should try to take the advantage of technological facilities. The utility of technology can accelerate the development of education. It not only supplies more and more new applications and methods for research in education, but also improves the structure of education itself.

　　In short, education and technology are the two inseparable parts of human development. They relate to each other closely and help to push each other forward.

　　Science and Technology —— a Blessing or a Curse?(218 words)

　　Science and technology have brought about tremendous changes in people’s lives. Scientific research continues to explore the fields that people previously undreamed of. Fifty years ago, few people could even imagine things like computers, lasers and space-scuttles. Now all these newly invented technologies are benefiting people all over the world. In a word, advanced science and technology has made man master of the globe.

　　As is known to all, each coin has two sides. When we are enjoying the remarkable wonders which science and technology has brought us, we are suffering at the same time from a lot of troubles. For example, environmental pollution, noise, green-house effect and nuclear weapons are the things we did not need to bother about in the past. But these problems nowadays are not only making our life inconvenient, but even dangerous.

　　In my opinion, humans are now relatively more powerful. So it is up to men to decide what we should do and what we shouldn’t. It is our duty to make science and technology serve human beings better and better. In consequence, we are faced with a glorious task —— to build a magnificent new civilization by means of advanced science and technology. Only then can we expect to make the development of science and technology a blessing rather than a curse.

　　On Environmental Protection (342 words)

　　Environmental protection is frequently talked about nowadays. The authorities are doing their best to arouse the public awareness of the vital importance of the environmental protection; and the news media, now and then, expose behaviors, which damage the environment. This issue is, indeed, worth following up.

　　Environmental protection is closely related not only to our personal life, but also to the entire human race and the world’s further development. For one thing, the environment, in a narrow sense, determines the quality of our individual life. The air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat, etc., all come directly from the environment. If they continue to be contaminated, we may have neither clean water, nor healthy food. For another thing, in a broader sense, the environment plays a decisive role in the fate of mankind. As is known to all, the earth, up to now, is human being’s sole dwelling place. We can expect that someday we will live on another planet, but I doubt that this day will come earlier than the day when the earth becomes a globe of waste, if we keep damaging the environment. Finally, the environment is essential to the further development of the world. Extensive industrialization, which has brought about all the convenience and facilities we enjoy today, has been depending on the comprehensive exploitation of the earth’s natural resources found in the environment. If we do not protect the environment properly, further development cannot be guaranteed. In a word, to protect the environment is an urgent task.

　　Nevertheless, environmental protection is indeed a demanding task. Many people are still, either unconscious of the urgency of the task or deliberately damaging the environment for the interests of their own. Hence, we should adopt severe punitive measures to prohibit people from doing more harms to the environment. Meanwhile, we need to make the gravity of the present situation known to all. In other words, punishment and instruction should be equally emphasized. Only in this way can we look forward to a cleaner and greener world.

　　Why China’s Foreign Trade Booms?(220 words)

　　While the world as a whole is suffering an economic recession, China has been experiencing a big boom in its foreign trade.

　　The four major factors may account for the fast growth.

　　To begin with, the boom is the result of China’s reform and opening up to the outside world. This policy has stimulated the demand for imports and resulted in more quality goods for exports.

　　Besides, China’s trade reform has also made its import and export system conform more to common international practices. In particular, the government has adopted measures that encourage foreign trade enterprises to operate more freely and independently.

　　Moreover, active diplomatic activities have helped create a more favorable international environment for China’s foreign trade. China has resumed economic and foreign trade relations with almost all of the economically developed countries.

　　Finally, the policy of diversifying its trading partners has played a big part. China has established trade relations with over 200 countries, setting up nearly 300 trading agencies abroad.

　　All in all, with the sound development of China’s domestic market, and the effective national policies, predictably, China’s foreign trade will surely continue to increase. China, in the world economy, will play an increasingly important role. Just as the saying goes, in terms of the economic development, “ The world needs China, and China needs the world”.

　　Cell Phones

　　Nowadays, with the rapid development of IT and information industry, cell phones play a dominant role in people’s life. But, like everything else, they have both favorable and unfavorable aspects.

　　On the one hand, the mobile phone is portable and convenient. Being wireless, you can carry them everywhere with great ease. You can reach a person wherever and however far away he is. On the other hand, it is a friend indeed. Whenever you come across trouble, you can call for help immediately.

　　However, just as every coin has two sides, the cell phone also has its many disadvantages. Some people complain that mobile phones give unpleasant noise on some important occasions when the owner forgets to turn them off. And it also cuts into people’s spare time, because with the mobile phone the boss can easily reach them and call them to duty during their spare time. Worst of all, the electromagnetic wave emitted from the phone is said to be harmful to people’s health and does often cause headaches to the owner.

　　In my opinion, with its expenses greatly reduced and China’s entry into WTO, the cell phone will face an even brighter future. They will stay in our life, have greater influence in the way we communicate and make our life more convenient.

　　‘Little Emperor’ in China

　　Recently in China, ‘Little Emperor’ has become the nickname for many children in the one-child families. Due to the one-child policy, most Chinese families have only one child now and this one child is regarded as the treasure of the whole family. The parents and grandparents try their best to satisfy the child’s need. He can get whatever he likes and avoid whatever he dislikes. It has been a common practice that the parents have to obey their child’s ‘order’. As a result, the spoiled child become the ‘little emperor’ who rules the whole family.

　　This kind of doting on children will do great harm to them. Under their parents’ protection, the children know only comfort and ease. They are usually dependent in every way. They don’t cherish what they get because get things too easily. They are unable to cope with the difficulties which they will meet with in the future. Moreover, too much praise makes the children proud, which further spoils them and renders them liable to develop all kinds of bad habits in the long run.

　　So parents and teachers should be reasonably strict with these ‘little emperors’ and take measure to ensure their normal growth and development. Firstly, they should be aware of the harmful effect of indulgence on the children. Secondly, they should not hesitate to criticize or even punish them if they do something wrong. Thirdly, parents should deliberately apply ‘hardship education’ to make them tough and independent.

　　Why People Travel

　　The fast development of modern technology has not only provided people with a considerable amount of disposable income, but also enable them to enjoy long weekends and paid holidays. Never before have so many people traveled to so many different parts of the world and, with the help of fast, comfortable modes of modern transport, more and more people are tempted to leave their homes to see more of the world. It seems as if there are travelers everywhere.

　　People travel because traveling benefits them in a number of ways. First, it enables them to derive much pleasure from sight- seeing and photo-taking. Second, traveling relieves them from strain and makes them thoroughly relaxed and ready to resume their work with renewed efforts. Third, it offers them an opportunity to visit old friends and make new friends as well. Finally, it allows them to see different customs, learn new things, gain new experience and enables them to come back with a broader mind.

　　With so many advantages to traveling, I think people should be encouraged to travel from time to time, especially on holidays, if their finance and health permit.