Thursday, October 19, 2017

A typing/retrieving project

People are never satisfied with what they have. Do you agree?
Many of the world's religions share a belief that when a person is able to look at and confess his or her problems that person can begin to travel the road to emotional recovery. A problem cannot be solved until it is clearly recognized. I agree with the above statement because i believe that dissatisfaction and suffering forces people to change.
History presents man examples of dissatisfaction and change. The history of China in this centur might be seen as one of dissatisfaction and progess. Sun Yat Sen was discontented with the decaying imperial order, so he created "revolution" ; Mao was dissatisfied with the course of events and so he intensified the revolution; finally, Deng pushed the Chinese economy towards free-market economy. Hence, China progessed towards its newfound "superpower" status. In a not dissimilar way, during the 18th century many Americans became annoyed with direct British rule, and so the US fought for and gained political independence.
On a personal level, dissatisfaction can lead to change within friendship and marriage. Perhaps it might even be said that true love cannot remain static. Matrimony and friendship are explorations of the higher emotions: they are pilgrimages towards the city of true values.
If husband and wife are prepared to confront and discuss their problems, a blue period can give way to many years of happiness. Sometimes, for instance, a spouse may not recognize that the source of marital unhappiness is that the other partner has developed a need to have children. Whatever else may be said, most people would agree that children change the lives of their parents.
The best method of utilizing dissatisfaction is to change things before they get out of hand. An intelligent man will constantly monitor his emotions; an intelligent politician will understand the mood of his people. Some people might suggest that the transition to independence for Canada and Australia was much smoother than that of the US because Britian allowed those two dominions to evolve with time. To take the idea further, a good parent or an astute politician will even anticipate potential dissatisfactions and therefore take precautions.
I agree with the above statement because, I believe that we mature through dissatisfaction. Without the ability to recognize our discontent, we could collapse into illness. Suffering Sharpens our senses.


Some students prefer to study alone. Others prefer to study with a group of students. Which do you prefer?
Do you like to sit alone in a quiet place pondering on the solutions in your study? Or you would favour discussing the subjects with several friends? The question of the condition of study, which plays an important role in the process and outcome of the study, is often met with diverse answers.
Some people choose to study alone, enjoying peaceful surrounding without disturbing; others, however, would rather join a group of people, sharing different ideas with them. As far as I am concerned, I prefer the latter for the following argument.
To begin with, there is no denial that studying alone helps better concentration on the problems, consistency in the trail of thought, and the establishment of the ability to handle problems by oneself.
But what if it comes to confront the difficulties one cannot break through single-handed?
To consult with several people may be greatly conducive. Studying with a group of people will offer you a chance to exchange opinions with others, and often can discussion help you out of your predicament, or at least achieve enlightenment which leads to what you are in search for.
Writer or designer, for example, seldom works out wonder or classic alone with the door closed. On the contrary, their resources accrue from communication with other people, learning, feeling, and progressing.
Secondly, studying in the group can help build teamwork consciousness, which is much needed in today’s competition world. To study means not only the improvement of knowledge but also the development of mental quality. Both can benefit from group study. Presentations in the university are often required to be performed by a group of students. With a common goal to practice and rehearse, students usually attach great enthusiasm and spare no effort to achieve for self and group.
Study knows no bounds. Moreover, studying in the group can expand one’s horizon, you will learn to consider problems from different perspectives.
In conclusion, despite some minor drawbacks such as lack of private time in study, studying in a group, compared with studying alone, is instrumental rather than detrimental for a student’s education, and thus will not fail to be a wise choice.


When people need to complain about a product or poor service, some prefer to complain in writing and other prefer to complain in person. Which way do you prefer?
When I want to make a complaint about a defective product or poor service, I would rather make my complaint in writing. Writing a complaint allows me to organize my points of argument in a logical manner. If I’m really unhappy with the way I’m being treated, I want to present my reasons clearly. I don’t want there to be any confusion about why I’m complaining. I like to list my complaints and then list supporting examples. That’s the best way of making sure everyone is clear about what I;m saying.
Putting my complaint in writing also ensures it won’t seem too emotional. If you feel that you’re been treated badly or taken advantage of, it’s easy to lash out. Losing your temper, though, is a sure ways to lose your argument. Yelling is very satisfying at the moment, but it only makes the person you’re yelling at mad at you. It doesn’t get them to agree with you or to offer help.
There’s also the issue of the person you’re dealing with. If you complaint in person, you have to talk to whoever is there. Chances are that he or she isn’t the person responsible for the defective product or the poor service. Often the people who take complaints are not the people in change, unless you’re dealing with a very small business. Yelling at them isn’t fair, and doesn’t do anything to get a refund or satisfaction for you. You need to reach the person in charge. The best way to do that is in writing.
Writing about your complaint and sending the letter registered mail also gives you written proof. It’s clear that you tried to settle the matter in a reasonable manner within a certain time period. This way, if you need to take further action, you have physical evidence of your actions.
Writing a complaint has the advantages of organization, effectiveness, and fairness. That’s why I prefer to write rather than personally present my complaints.


Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Do you agree?
The young of most mammals, including humans, like to play. Scientists claim that with lions, for example, play fighting prepares the cubs for their future life as a hunter and killer. The question is whether games and play teach humans about life. Many people believe that games accustom the player to life-skills such as perseverance and competitiveness.
However, I disagree with the title statement because I consider games to be mainly for children. In childhood, we do not have responsibility for the world. The child is always eager to grow up -to become a year older t or to reach the legal age of an adult. Children find happiness in games by pretending to be an adult in the real world. The problem is that games are optional; they contain too much happiness and too little hardship to ever be real. An adult, by contrast, finds meaning in his life by accepting that there are greater things in the world than his own happiness.
One of the dangers of games is that some people attempt to translate the rules of a game onto reality. The modern example of this problem is television and computer games. People in the West are now growing concerned that children and teenagers occasionally imitate violence which they see on the screen.
Death is fun on a computer game; and unstable teenagers who “zap” people in computer games can forget the value of life. American films are often accused of making violence glamorous.
This is not to say that games did not deceive people before the invention of television and the microchip. Success as a sports-star can lead a player to self-importance. If a football player is made captain of his team and receives praise from the local press, he might be tempted to assume that he is “the boss” in other areas of his life, such as within friendships. Also, he might be surprised to find that sport is simply not important.
Finally, gambling should also be mentioned as a dangerous game. Although gambling and the acceptance of luck are acceptable features of many cultures, a selfish gambler can neglect his financial duties towards his family. Eventually, gambling can become a drug which destroys life.
To an extent, life for most people is precarious enough to include some degree of winning and losing, and of adventure. Also, an unexpected opportunity or lucky find is one of the joys of life. But sooner or later we have to settle down and face the grind of adult life.


A gift (such as a camera, a soccer ball, or an animal) can contribute to a child's development. What gift would you give to help a child develop? Why? Use reasons and specific examples to support your choice. To enhance children's development, some parents select a fairy tale book as a gift; others choose a stuffed doll; still others pick a basketball up. Although every item has its value, personally I find a stereo advantageous for a child's growth to lean languages, music, and communication.
First, children can gain knowledge through language cassettes. For example, while listening to tapes of beginner English, children follow the directions to speak out simple words such as "A" means " Apple", "B" refers to " Bird" and " C" defines " Cat". With a "Rewind" button, children can repeat this basic vocabulary as many times as they want. Under these circumstances,repeated stimulation enables them to memorize quickly. So, a stereo can benefit children to study languages effectively.
Another contribution of a stereo for children's development is that children can learn the rhythm, melody and lyrics. Like " Elephants", the famous song tells kids why an elephant has a long trunk. Also, according to various rthym, children can express feelings in different ways. To illustrate, romantic music like Celine Dion's " My heart with go on" has smooth and slow pace. It makes the listener tranquil. However, pop music like Michel Jackston's " Thriller" thrills children. So, music inspires children's minds.
Most importantly, a stereo allows children to communicate with hosts of broadcasts. For example, they can turn into talk show on 99.1 FM. There is a program called "Take a guess" at 9:00am on weekdays. Unusually, the host asks questions like " what is the largest animal in the world?" Every child can respond through a phone. If someone gets the wrong answers, the host would provide more hints and clues to children until they get the right answers. In this way, children can improve their imagination and creativity; in addition, they learn how to communicate with others.All in all, little kids can feel frustrated playing tapes and CD's. Also, impatient children cannot stick with hour long or more cassettes. Nevertheless, I strongly think a stereo is worthwhile for children's development because it helps them become gifted in language, music and speech.


We should communicate effectively
“Establishing and developing effective communication is important in order to be heard and change your environment according to your own thoughts,” says Monique Harrisberg doyen of voice training and CEO of one of the most successful communication training companies in South Africa.  No one will guess what you want or what you think if you don’t tell them, and nothing is going to change if you do not propose a change. ” It’s important not to be afraid of speaking, to always defend what you want to say, express exactly what you mean to say, and listen while you are not speaking, ”explains Harrisberg.
The first aspect to communicate effectively is not to be afraid of speaking. Anytime you need to say something, go ahead and do it. Most people are afraid of speaking because they are not sure if it is the right thing to say and/or the right moment to say it. Become confident, say what you want to say, and do not regret it.” If you speak you will be heard and taken into account. Avoid saying something that will hurt somebody’s feelings. Unless something has to be said inevitably, say it, but as softly and gently as you can. Never hurt anyone intentionally. Always think twice before saying something.” You choose what to say, just be sure to say the right thing at the right time, if you do that, you won’t regret a thing,” she says.
Secondly,if you want to communicate effectively, defend what you say. Once you have said something you can never go backward; you must back it up.” The worst thing that you can do when speaking is to hesitate, says Harrisberg. “Hesitance means self-insecurity and this means weakness. The strength of your words will surely determine their effect on the listener, explains Harrisberg. The way that you speak and the content of your speech tell a lot about yourself and your personality. A conversation allows speakers and listeners to get to know each other better. Besides, people will only know what you say; they cannot go any further if you do not let them. It is only by means of intelligence, strength, and security that you will be able to change the world around you. And, it is also by means of intelligence, strength, and security that you will be heard and taken into account.
Thirdly, express exactly what you mean to say. Pick up the words that will express exactly what you are thinking of. Do not forget that one half of a word belongs to the listener and the other to the speaker. The listener gets his or her own version of what is said. “However your job is to express yourself clearly, so that you can avoid misunderstandings. Although, avoiding misunderstandings is a hard task (not impossible), when it is achieved you will be expressing yourself effectively.” Harrisberg says.  Everybody will be able to identify exactly what you say, what you think, and what you want. Words are double edged weapons which can be used either to defend or to attack. If you make a good use of them, you will be able to do almost everything.
It is important to listen and not to interrupt when it is no longer your turn to speak. You will surely learn new things from listening to others. If a person is speaking, it’s because she or he wants to be heard. Effective communication is based on both listening and speaking. If communication were based only on speaking, it would be an absolute tyranny. Nevertheless, communication is the means through which you express yourself in order to be heard and change your environment according to your own version of reality. Thus, it would be impossible to change anything if there were no one to listen, learn, and accept new ideas. “Listening is a gift, and good listeners are appreciated because there are only a few,” Harrisberg concludes.
Effective communication will help you to express yourself better, allow you to let other people express themselves. Words inspire no fear. Speak them. Words make you strong. Support them. Words show what you are and what you think. Do not let yourself be misunderstood. Words are valuable. Listen to them!

What do you consider to be the most important room in a house?
Rooms are one of the many important factors in a house. Architectures, when drawing the plan of a house consider these room-factors seriously. When we are buying a house, new or old, we place emphasies on the different types and number of rooms in the house, their conditions, seizes, general orientation and other factors of the very rooms like the windows, the height of the ceilins and so on. However, amoung the different types of rooms that can be found in todays modern houses, I consider the most important to be the siting room.
There is an adage or a saying that the siting room is the mirrow of the house. This is very right. For example if the siting room is always dirty, one can always expect the whole house to be dirty too. So the living room shows the hiegenic condition of the house.
Furthermore, the siting room is very important because when we have visitors, we rarely invite them to our bedrooms or to the toilet or to the bathroom. No. We invite them to sit in the siting room where we welcome them or discuss some issues. For sure, they look around to see how tidy is the room, how is it arranged and what we have in the house. That impression of the sitting room will always be with them about the whole house, about how we live and how tidy we are. In these regards, the siting room serves as the face of the house, a sort of the public relations manager.
Apart from the above mentioned reasons, the siting room is much more important than the other rooms for the very purpose it is supposed to be: for sitting. Having a place to sit in the house is very important. For example, imagine coming from a very hard days job, very tired. Sure the first thing one does on getting to the house is to head for the sitting room, most propable get a cold drink from the refrigerator and relax by siting down in the siting room, put on the television and for a moment forget about the hard days job.
In conclusion, the sitting room is very important in the house for the purposes it serves, mainly, it portrays and gives impressons to others about how we live, how tidy we are, that is, it is the mirrow and the public relation 'manager' of the house, and it is one of the best place where we can relax in the house.





 Some people trust their first impressions about a person's character because they believe these judgments are generall correct. Other people do not judge a person's character quickly because they believe first impressions are often wrong. Compare these two attitudes.
We meet strangers on a daily basis. We meet them when waiting for the bus, queueing up at the bank or even when having lunch at a restaurant. 
For most people, they often form an opinion on the people they meet the minute they meet. Their basis for this act is that 'first impression is alwaysright'. Nonetheless, how true is this statement? Humans are complex creatures, thus, it isimpossible to dissect them in just one minute. Therefore, though occassionally first impression may be right, most of the time they are not as knowing a person inside out is never an easy process.
Shrek in 'Shrek' quoted "Just like onions, I have layers". So true is that remark that each layer isdifferent from the other. Humans are like that too. We have feelings and emotions which not all of them are displayed in a single day. This in turn making the process of friendship a lengthy one.Therefore, to trust first impressions is obviously a silly act as human characters are only fullyunderstood only after a certain period of time.
In addition to that, moods also play an important role when we judge a person. Humans, as weall know, have their ups and downs and this often affect their judgement if they are not able tocontrol it. The same goes when judging another person. When the mood is right, we might seeeverybody around us as saints and angels who really make our day. However, imagine when wehad a bad day at work, even the nice considerate waiter might seem pushy.
Nevertheless, there could be another group of people who trust their instincts, and stand by it.These group might argue that first impressions are based on instincts, and as instincts aresubconciously based on past experience, hence, first impressions are reliable. Their point isarguably true, but can anybody actually determine the amount of experience needed to ensure thatthe instinct is correct? Surely, nobody can.
In conclusion, humans are the most complex animals on the face of the earth. Just as much aswe like to believe that we all feel happy for the same joyous moments, feel pain for same suffering,the truth is, it is not so. This is because we have different characteristics that differ us from oneanother. Therefore, as the saying "never judge a book by its cover", we should not fully trust in firstimpressions as it is not only cruel, but also unfair to the person we judge.


 Friendship
A dictionary contains a definition of friendship somewhere in the F's between the words "fear" and "Friday. " An encyclopedia supplies interesting facts on friendship. But all the definitions and facts do not convey what friendship is really all about. It cannot be understood through words or exaggerations. The only way to understand friendship is through experience. It is an experience that involves all the senses.

Friendship can be seen. It is seen in an old couple sitting in the park holding hands. It is the way they touch, a touch as light as a leaf floating in the autumn air, a touch so strong that years of living could not pull them apart. Friendship is seen in a child freely sharing the last cookie. It is the small arm over the shoulder of another as they walk on the playground. Seeing friendship is not casual. It is watching for subtlety, but friendship is there for eyes that can see.
Friendship can be heard. It is heard in the words of two friends who squeezed in lunch together on an extremely busy day. It is the way they talk to each other, not the words. Their tone is unique. Friendship can be heard by those willing to listen. 
Friendship is felt in a touch. It is a pat on the back from a teammate, a high five between classes, the slimy, wet kiss from the family dog. It's a touch that reassures that someone is there, someone who cares. The touch communicates more than words or gestures. It is instantly understood and speaks volumes beyond the point of contact, to the heart.
Friendship has a taste. It tastes like homemade bread, the ingredients all measured and planned, then carefully mixed and kneaded, then the quiet waiting as the dough rises. Hot from the oven, the bread tastes more than the sum of its ingredients. There is something else there, perhaps the thoughts of the baker as her hands knead the dough, or her patience as she waits for the dough to rise. Unseen and unmeasured, this is the ingredient that makes the difference. Warm, fresh from the oven with a little butter, the difference you taste is friendship.
Friendship has a smell. It smells like the slightly burnt cookies your brother made especially for you. It smells like your home when stepping into it after being away for a long time. It smells like a sandbox or a sweaty gym. Friendship has a variety of smells. Taken for granted at the moment, they define the memory of friendship. 
Finally, more than the other senses, friendship is an experience of the heart. It is the language of the heart-a language without words, vowels, or consonants; a language that, whether seen, felt, heard, or tasted, is understood by the heart. Like air fills the lungs, friendship fills the heart, allowing us to experience the best life has to offer: a friend.



Films can tell us a lot about the country where they were made. What have you learned about a country from watching its movies? Use specific examples and details to support your response.
 Most people like watching movies made from different countries, not only because they can know about these countries' history, what is like in their daily life, but also their various attitude and ideas towards life.
Firstly, movies can reflect a country’s history. Based on different historical backgrounds, movies can give us a lot of information about a country's past. For those who have the background historical knowledge, they can have a better understanding about the movie; while for those who have little knowledge about the history can start to know it from the movie they are watching. For example, many historical movies focus on a certain period of the history. Obviously, each country has a totally different history. Thus, by watching these movies, we will know more about other countries' history which will help us increase our knowledge and understanding about other countries.
Furthermore, movies can show different social and cultural environment and various customs, which attract many moviegoers. Although people have more and more chances to travel abroad to see the world, this is not always the case for everyone. Movies give us a convenient way to know more about the outside world. From movies, we get to know that "toast" cab mean different thing to different countries, such as "good luck" to Americans, "bad luck" to Hungarians. From movies, we get to know how Americans live and what food they eat, which bring us closer to the world even when we stay at home.
Finally, by watching movies, we may know other people's attitudes and ideas towards life. Sometimes we may feel depressed or frustrated just because of some small problems in our lives. We always feel pessimistic toward life, but from movies, we know Americans are optimistic towards their lives even in bad situations. Their attitudes will definitely change our ideas and make us cherish the life. What's more, we may know Americans like to take risks; while Frenches like a relaxed life and Italians like romance.
In short, movies are like encyclopedias which can give us much knowledge about other nations we may have no chances to go. Thus we should encourage people to watch more good movies to know the world better.


In most parts of the world people are living longer. What are the possible causes of this situation? Is this a negative or positive development?
Longevity in the world over has been increasing for a variety of reasons. Babies born today enjoy much longer life spans than those of their parents. It is argued that this increase is a positive phenomenon and that the main causes of it are both the deepening of medical understanding and the sharing of such information between people via tools like the Internet. These causes will be examined in detail to prove their value in the lengthening of worldwide life spans.
Firstly, medical advancements over the last century have allowed people to postpone death. Among the more significant discoveries that made this possible is the development of antibiotics. Antibiotics, now available to most people the world over, dramatically lower incidences of infection and have thus greatly curbed the number of people the world over who die due to diseases once thought incurable. Thus, advancements in science can be seen as one of the more major contributors to the extending of worldwide life spans.
Secondly, the Internet and the information shared across it has made the debunking of ineffective medical practices much easier. For example, medical folklore in countries like Ghana and rural China dictate new mothers avoid washing themselves for a month after giving birth. Before tools like the Internet, ridiculous and unsanitary practices such as this were widely believed to be in the best interests of the mother’s health. Today, few people in either country would argue in favour of this postnatal tradition. Thus, the Internet has allowed people to share life-promoting information the world over.
In conclusion, human life is precious and the global extending of life spans should be seen as positive. It is hoped medical discoveries continue to increase in number and that access to the Internet continues to grow, allowing longevity to be a pleasure enjoyed everywhere.


Morals
Morality forms the underlying fabric of humanity and morality differentiates humanity from animals and other lower forms of life. Having said that, skeptics among us will be quick to point out that in extreme situations, we often witness humanity behaving in a manner that is worst than the animals. Such instances are evident during times of war and conflicts. Humans are capable of atrocities far worst than other forms of life on Earth, and it may indeed be undeserving to suggest that we are the civilised ones on this planet.
Morality is an abstract term and there exist too many interpretations of what its precise definition is. What is morally acceptable to some may not be to others, and the issue of abortion is a good example. Then there are clear cut, definitively and universally accepted norms of what moral behavior is, or what it stands for. Killing is immoral, and so is stealing from your neighbor. Acts of violence that we see in the news everyday are the manifestation of immorality that plagues our society. Morality is all that is pure and Godly, and immorality is the essence of evil.
Aside from the extreme examples of violence and other forms of atrocities that inarguably belong to the realm of evil and diabolics, there exist the grey area that we are faced with ever so often. Does the telling of a white lie lies somewhere on the peripheral of accepted morals, or are we to be absolute purists who insist on absolute honesty, even to the extend of hurting someone by being brutally honest. Many a times, we tread a fine line and we need to use our best judgement to ensure the preferred outcome. The depriving of the rights of the fetus to live is immoral to some, but then again, there are those who argue that if indeed it is proven beyond dispute that the newborn infant will suffer birth defects that will last a lifetime, would it then not be morally acceptable to end its life then and there to prevent future suffering?
There are different viewpoints as to where the limits of accepted morality ends and the realm of immorality begins. Philosophy may not hold the answers, and religions of different faiths may not even agree on matters that is subjected to interpretation. Thankfully, most of us do not have to make life shattering decisions on a daily basis that test the limits of where we stand on this delicate question of morality.



Space Travel
Ever since the Russians put the first manned spacecraft in orbit round the Earth and the Americans made their historical landing on the surface of the Moon, the technologically advanced countries of the world have been engaged in attempts to penetrate the vast expanse of outer space.Scientists and engineers working together are constantly designing new and better space vehicles. The target destinations for these vehicles are the neighboring planets in our own Solar System such as Mars and Mercury. So far the main obstacles to space travel remain the great distances between these planets and Earth. The millions of miles of cold and empty space would take a very long time to traverse and this would raise the question of how to support life on board these space crafts as space is a vacuum devoid of life giving oxygen. To date scientists have only been able to send unmanned crafts to these planets. The sole purpose of these missions is the gathering of information through aerial photographs and the testing of surface materials which are transmitted back to earth via radio waves.
Another obstacle to space travel is the prohibitive cost of such undertakings. The advent of the space shuttle has lowered the cost factor by allowing the same vehicle to be used over and over again. The Shuttle is able to carry passengers and cargo and after completing its mission in space it lands back on earth much like a conventional aircraft. It is often launched into space on the back of a rocket or a large jet plane.
Many experts believe that Mother Earth has been so ravaged by man, that she may not recover. The damage caused to the environment by pollution, the changing climates on earth, the depletion of the ozone layer as well as the phenomenon of global warming due to atmospheric carbon dioxide increasing are all brought about in one way or another by man. Experts feel that it may be time that we start looking to space for some of the solutions to our problems.


 My Dreams in Life
There comes a time in our lives where we stop to ponder about the future. The future as refering to our career, what we plan to do, what we want to dedicate our lives to for the better part of our future. I am refering to our career. Our plan and our decision on what we want to do for a living in the future.
From the time we were in school, we have started thinking about our future career and what we would like to do for a living. This is by no means an easy decision because at the tender age we were at whilst still in school, it is not that easy to have the foresight to understand what the working world would be like. For me, I have many ambitions since young.
Going back to the time when I was just 15 years old, I had always wanted to be a... ahem, scientist. I wanted to be an astronomer and Albert Einstein was my hero, my idol. I used to have his picture hanging on my bedroom wall. However, the reality of it all was it was all just a dream that would never materialise. Scientists are the brightest people around and well, I was never a shining star in the academic arena. That didn't stopped me though, from forming an amateur astronomer's club and we spent hours late into the night doing star gazing. But that was all it was. I had to face the brutal truth that I could not even made it to the university as it was really very competitive at the time. Anyway, I emerged as a diploma graduate in civil engineering years later.
Even as I was in the polytechnic doing my diploma course, I never stopped dreaming. Being an astronomer is out of the question, so I toyed around with the idea of been a rock star. Embarrassing as it may seem, and I have to shallow hard to admit the inadmittable fantasy of being a rocker on stage. I formed my own three piece rock band and we were jamming away instead of doing our schoolwork. Then it slowly came to pass that I will be better off to just let dreams stay as dreams. I need not elaborate further.
Like everyone else around me, I eventually graduated from the Polytechnic and started working in the civil engineering field as a construction supervisor. That is not really what I wanted to do for the rest of my life. I wanted something bigger than life. Nothing fabulous happened for the next many years. I went on to dream.

  

 My Pet Horse
I am honored to share my story about Cowboy my 23-year-old red dun quarter horse. I bought him 6 years ago when I was 38 years old. I purchased him from a gentleman that really didn't have a lot of faith in Cowboy. I brought Cowboy home and I could tell he didn't trust much. My history is I was bucked off a horse when I was a small girl and broke my arm.
I had a love for horses that just wouldn't go away but I was afraid to ride again. Cowboy has been a wonderful horse to build my trust and my riding ability. He has been a trail horse all his life, so he has taken me through water, over mountains, to the beach to lope in the waves and camping trips. He taught me to trust that he wouldn't let anything happen to me. Just sit back and enjoy life. He is such a gentleman, when he gets ahead of other horses, he will stop, look back and wait for the other horses to catch up. He has been my best friend and through my love and kindness, he has turned into a very loving and trusting horse.
When I bought Cowboy, he was 17 years old and never had a bath, didn't load in a two-horse trailer, never worked in a round pen, never had a blanket on him. Working together we both learned how to do all of these things. Cowboy has been in the Middletown Days Parade for the last three years and has taken first place each year. My friend's daughter was 6 years old when she first started riding Cowboy in the parade. Not bad for an old trail horse that I was told really wasn't much of a horse.
Cowboy has a love for animals that is unexplainable. Shortly after I bought him I got a puppy. Maggie was as big as one of his hoofs. I was really concerned he would step on her but she just had to be next to him. I would put his food in a bucket and she would climb inside and eat with him. Cowboy would just eat around her. As she got older she would run in back of him, grab his tail and swing on it. He would just stand there and let her do it. It is amazing to watch what a gentle creature he is yet he stands 16 hands tall.
The best part of my day is coming home and when I round the corner to my house I hear a whinny. It is Cowboy letting me know he sees me. It warms my heart every evening. It would be such an honor if Cowboy could win this essay. I'm not a competitive person so I know we would never be in a show or gymkhana together to win a buckle or trophy, but I know he is a champion.







 Teenagers with cell phones
Teenagers with cell phones: Kyocera, Motorola, Nextel, Nokia and Siemens. For some reason, the ability to stay in touch has created not an increase in awareness, but a rise in pointless banter. My classmates clutch their cell phones as life lines to their security, proof to themselves that they have fit into their niches. They give speeches to their phones; they lecture for everyone to hear. They stare at tiny screens, scrolling through their lengthy contact lists or games. Cell phones allow us always to be in touch, in demand and never alone. We avoid branching out to the stranger next to us when we isolate ourselves to our circuitry. We could take a small risk by putting the phone down and watching the scrolling world. Instead, we would rather be thoroughly immersed in our own security and contrived illusions of popularity.
My contact list is bound with glue and thread. It has a cover. I must be an old-fashioned 17 year old. Caricatures line the margins, and its members are listed as I choose, without automation. It is not lengthy or meaningless, rather it is very personal. My reason for this is certainly a result of what I value, but it is probably more related to the fact that I am severely hearing impaired. I was born with almost no hearing, but enough to function with the use of hearing aids.
When I was little, I did not view my disability as something that detrimentally affected me; however, I also did not realize that brewing in the subtext of my personality, this ailment would create an immeasurable benefit. I have gone through life observing my surroundings and watching cues carefully, noticing subtle interactions and understanding people beyond their words. I have been forced to rely on face-to-face relationships and come to realize that communicating with people is not something we do on the phone; it is something we do in person. Human contact never falters in revealing a person's true feelings. The telephone has only emulated these feelings to a lesser extent, even if sometimes fairly accurately. Still, people should meet; they should notice the swagger that one uses when happy or withdrawn posture when sad or shy.
Of course, it takes risk to leave yourself exposed in person. Life is about risk. It's about wrestling when you're 96 pounds and can't hear the whistle; it's about dancing when you can't hear the music; it's about being vocal even when you sound different. As I have learned, it's not about hearing. It's telling yourself that the obstacle isn't the whistle, or music, or inability to talk on the phone. It's about realizing that sometimes life's problem is a gift.



 The value of being a vegetarian
Man needs food to live. Food can be classified into two groups -- vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Man perhaps started as a non-vegetarian because we know ancient times man hunted for food. Then he learnt to eat fruits. Much later he mastered agriculture and began growing grains, to make food and these were used as supplements to meat. In most of the countries even today non-vegetarian food forms the major part of the normal diet.
Pure vegetarianism may be said to be a product of the East. With the coming of Buddhism and Jainism some twenty five centuries ago animal sacrifice was looked down as cruelty to animals was condemned. Great emperors and kings, like Ashoka preached love for all animals and slowly men began turning to vegetables for food. The knowledge of cooking might have encouraged vegetarianism because different tasty dishes could be made with vegetables and food grains.
Both types of diets go to build the body and supply the necessary energy. In certain aspects the non-vegetarian diet may be better in that it supplies the necessary protein and fats required by the body easily. Liver content from non-vegetarian food may be helpful to keep the liver functioning well and supplies certain types of vitamins. Those who argue in favor of non vegetarian diet point to milk which is in every sense non-vegetarian and which every vegetarian takes without objection. But extreme vegetarians like Gandhi were against even milk. In fact for a very long time Gandhi went without taking milk though later he took goat's milk on doctor's advice. Why milk is tolerated is because it does not involve the cruelty of killing, though milking the cow at the cost of the calf may involve cruelty.
A vegetarian diet can supply all the necessary food items needed by the body except that it may be deficient in the required amount of protein in our food. Vegetables are harmless to the body compared to a non vegetarian diet. For instance, meat, if not carefully kept and handled may carry diseases. A vegetarian diet is definitely deficient in Vitamin B and C for which the a vegetarian will have to depend on a supplementary such as pills and tablets to keep up his strength.
Another point in favor of vegetarianism is men's denture and the long intestines point to the fact that man could best be a vegetarian. Economically vegetarian food is cheap; vegetables and fruits end greens are delectable and beautiful to look at.
The argument that non-vegetarian food makes one strong is shallow. There are great intellectuals among vegetarians. Gandhi and Shaw were great vegetarians. It is a matter of habit if one could overcome being e slave to the tongue, vegetables can do as much good as a non-vegetarian diet.

 Materialism
Chanel, Abercrombie, Coach, and Hollister are not even a quarter of the expensive brands Americans buy today. People are getting addicted to shopping and can’t stop the urge to buy more things. Americans are too materialistic.
Americans spend too much time competing over materials. There are people who only wear on outfit once. For example, the character Massie from the book series, The Clique, only wears one outfit once and when people read these books, they want to be like her. When they think of ways to be more like Massie, they automatically think, “I need more clothes”. There are people constantly comparing what they have and how much money they have with the people they want to be. For example, if you are a fashion magazine reader, you would constantly see spotlights in these magazines about celebrities being acknowledged about the designer things they have or are wearing. If you constantly think about how you look, then you would definitely try to have what these celebrities have.
Not only are Americans spending too much time competing over materials, they are also spending too much money on materials. Many people are in deep debt and on the edge of bankruptcy. One of my mom’s friends is like that. She lives in a condo that is covered with clothes from the floor to the ceiling. She can’t control how she spends her money and she owes a lot of money to credit card companies. There are many people who head straight to the mall right after they get their paycheck. These people need to learn how to spend money wisely because there are people who are becoming homeless because they can’t pay for their rent.
In addition to spending too much money on materials, Americans also pay too much attention to materials. Many people who are materialistic don't have a good relationship with their family because their attention is too focused on having the next big thing. I have a friend whose mom is too materialistic. Her mom shows love through buying her daughter materials. Even though she gets whatever she wants, she is still not happy because she is missing the things she needs most, love and attention. Also, Americans pay too much attention on materials by obsessing with fashion magazines. Having lots of stuff doesn’t make you a better person, caring and just being a nice, respectful person is what really makes you a good person.
Americans are too materialistic. Being able to buy whatever you want is fine, but don’t abuse it. Americans spend too much time competing over materials, too much money on materials and, too much attention on materials. Buying whatever you want doesn’t make you a better person, in fact it will harm you in the long run if you don’t know how to control yourself. When parents are too materialistic and spoil their children, their child becomes materialistic too. Then the children influence other people. It’s like a bad disease spreading fast and damaging our generation.



 Extra Curricular Activities
Do you often find yourself sitting in front of the TV doing nothing after school? Would you like something fun and interesting to do instead? If so, then an extra curricular activity is the perfect thing for you! Lakeview Jr. High has a wide variety of clubs, committees, and sports for a wide variety of personalities. Therefore, everyone should partake in an extra curricular activity.
Joining extra curricular activities can help students meet different people and form new relationships. It is important for teens to have a wide range of friends in order to become well-rounded individuals. Through extra curriculars, students can be introduced to many diverse groups of people. This could open the doors to interests and talents that many students never knew they had. Furthermore, participating in extra curricular activities may enhance students’ people skills by teaching them how to get along with and work with different people. Good people skills are essential in the future. For example, at a job, you are required to work with co-workers of various personalities, and with these skills, you will be able to better get along with everyone.
Not only can extra curricular activities help students meet new people, but they are also an excellent way for them to have more fun. After a six or seven hour school day, students are often stressed out. By being in an extra curricular activity, students can have more fun, which may relieve that stress. Last year, I was in the drama club. We did funny skits and exercises that were extremely fun. I know that by laughing and joking with my friends, I definitely relieved stress and had more fun than I would have at home. In addition to this, a typical student might spend most of their time hanging out with friends, watching TV, playing video games, or going on the computer. These same activities day after day may get boring after a while. Students can break this cycle by signing up for an extra curricular activity. Instead of playing a one-on-one basketball game with your friend, you could play on the school team and improve your skills. You could substitute watching Hannah Montana sing on TV with singing in the choir, or replace playing EA Sports on X-Box with the real thing. You could even type up an article for the school newspaper instead of typing an instant message to your friend. Joining these extra curriculars, or others, will give students something new to do after school, resulting in a more fun and happier student.
As well as having more fun, extra curricular activities are useful distractions from the many bad influences that teens face. More and more of today’s teens are abusing drugs and alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and having sex, which can result in teen pregnancies and STD’s. Extra curriculars help keep students away from the bad peer pressures that influence these harmful behaviors. There they can associate with kids with positive goals, which could inspire them to set goals of their own and encourage them to choose positive behaviors in order to reach them. Also, a great number of extra curriculars, such as sports, punish their members for participating in drugs and/or alcohol. Hopefully, many students will be motivated not to take part in these activities so that they can stay in their club, committee, or team.
Everyone should participate in an extra curricular activity. There are many rewards that come along with them, including meeting new people and having fun. Extra curriculars can also keep teens away from harmful peer pressure, drugs, and alcohol. No matter who you are, there is something out there for you, so join an extra curricular activity today!


 Demolishing Gang Violence
Almost everyday someone is shot or killed by gangs in Chicago, some of those people are gang members themselves, but some are just innocent people. Gangs are increasing everyday and so is the number of lives being taken away by the violence on the street. These are the reasons why the Chicago area should do their best to lessen gang violence.
Policemen across the state need to make gang violence a priority. Instead of worrying about the little things such as parking tickets, they should worry about the most important thing, people’s lives. They can make gang violence a priority by having gang specialists come in and teach new cops about so that way cops can arrest gang members faster since they know more about them. If these policemen captured gang members earlier, then that would decrease the number people being shot or killed. The state can also prevent shootings by making guns illegal. Many unlicensed teens are now in possession of guns leading to lives being killed. If guns were illegal, only good results would come from it.
Along with police making gang violence a priority, they should also worry about the drugs coming from these gangs. More and more teenagers are starting and getting addicted to drugs. Some of these drugs are reaching the suburbs, causing our supposedly “safe” neighborhoods to change into a not so safe area for kids and young adults. Gang member smuggling drugs into the U.S. is changing our world in so many ways. The amount of people going to rehab has increased rapidly through out the years. Also, many more people are doing drugs because it is easier to get yet they do not know the consequences. They may think they are just going to try it ounce, but after that one time, they start craving it making them become addicted. People lose their friends and family and sometimes even their own lives form being addicted to drugs that were supplied to them by gang members.
In addition to stopping drugs from going around, cracking down on gangs will prevent teenagers from turning into hardcore criminals. What will happen to these teenagers in the future if they’re already committing illegal actions? When teenagers/young adults graduate college, they already have there whole life planned out. Most teenagers in gangs don’t even graduate high school and they end up living in a life with little education and a no good future. When gang members first start out they think it’s a good business to be apart of, you get lots or money and get to be with your friends, but it’s also a business you can never get out of and a business that just keeps getting worse and more dangerous the longer you’re involved.
Chicago should try harder to lessen gang violence. Many people don’t get how much gangs influence and change the world we live in today. If policemen made gang violence a priority, then they could prevent many things from happening such as drug use increasing and gang members becoming hardcore criminals in the future. It’s our duty to keep Chicago’s streets safe. Aren’t you tired of turning on the news and hearing about another death in our city? I know I am.

A rainy day
The rain is welcome because it brings down water to sustain our life. All our water sources, rivers, lakes, and underground springs depend on rain water. Where there is scanty or no rain desert conditions prevail and life in such areas of the world is miserable. Animals and plants do not thrive there. In fact the most densely populate areas of the world are those which get good rains. Of course too much rain is also bad. Sometimes rains are not welcome because of the inconvenience it causes, but it is something we cannot do without for the very life depends on it.
For us, rainy days are quite common. Most of the year there is good rain. That day also the rains came as usual. The midday was getting very sultry and the sun on a steely sky was scorching and so it was oppressive to talk along the road even with an umbrella. As the hour advanced dark clouds began to appear and very soon the sky was getting darker with heavy clouds. One could almost feel the coming rains when cool winds began to lash.
At first big drops of rain fell down here and there. Knowing the coming of rain, people began to hurry. The small vendors on the road packed up their wares and began seeking places of shelter. Then it started to rain heavily. The first rain cooled the hot surface of roads. As water began to flow, the drains got their fill and the stream rushed through them carrying all the dirt of the road. The drain pipes were full and brought down water with a noise. The cars that dashed along the roads did splash water on all sides to the chagrin of the passersby who got drenched. In a good rain, the umbrella is no answer. Boarding the buses in such a condition was a problem and the streets were wet and flooded. One could see crowds of people gather and huddle together in all available places of shelter.
After an hour the rain stopped. The sun began to shine and soon the roads were dry and once again life was busy. There was freshness in the atmosphere, especially the trees bore a beautiful green. Because it rained during the school hours, children were not much affected as it would otherwise be if it rained in the evening. Because of the rain the day was very dull for me.


 The Most Important Room in a House
 Basically, a house is composed of a living room, a dining room, washrooms, and bedrooms.Even though each room has its valuable features,I fully believe that a bedroom is the most siginificant one. In this place, I can rest, study and chat.
To begin with, a bedroom allows me to recharge my physical and mental batteries. To illustrate, when I am exhausted, I choose to sleep there. With a cozy bad I can gain sufficient energy to work effectiently and effectively. Besides, I can just sit on a couch and read a newspaper and magazine. It makes me relaxed and release my stress. Furthermore, I can meditate or look out at the scenery. These activities can enable me to forget my troubles temporarily.So, I cannot deny that my bedroom is the most appropriate environment to recess.
Moreover, to avoid being disturbed, studying in my bedroom is the best choice for me .I can prepare exams, do projects, complete assignments, and review homework in this tiny and quiet room. On top of that, if necessary, I can surf the Internet for relevant infommation. For example, if I am assigned to make a presentation about "Civil War". I can simply use a search engine like Yahoo or Google to find out "Civil War" and its orgin and its histortical importance. In this way, I will come up with ideas to organize how to present perfectly. Therefore, without a bedroom I might get distracted while studying.
Last but not least, in a bedroom, I can talk to someone through a phone.For instance, I chat with my boyfriend for hours. It would not be easy to chat with him in a public room such as a kitcken or living room. Under these circumstances, I can share my feelings with him. Also, when I am either enlightened or depressed, I can make a phone call to my peers. Thus, communicating with someone in a bedroom appers less embarassing.
Overall, it seems dull to stay in a bedrom. The more time we stick in this spot, the less time we gather with out friends and families. Nevertheless, I whoeheartedly think a bedroom plays a significatn role in a house becuase other rooms cannot substitute its characteristics: a better rest room, a quieter study place, and a more private room for chatting.


 My pet
Rosy, is a dog which I have been keeping for the past four years. It was sheer accident that Rosy came into my hands. Our neighbor Mr. Jones was a dog fancier. He had a good kennel in his house where he reared different breeds of dogs. Suddenly, he got transferred from the town and he wanted to dispose of some of the dogs. He was talking about it to my father. Then I told my father that we could have one of the puppies; though reluctantly, my father agreed. Thus, Rosy came into my possession.
Why it was named Rosy, I can't say. It is an Alsatian. She is of medium height. She is grey colored with dark spots near her belly. The dog has a bushy tail and glistening eyes which has grown wonderfully well and can easily be the envy of many.
Rosy, can be seen about our house when she is not engaged in playing or when she is not sleeping. She takes pleasure in sneaking about the corners when she has nothing particularly to do. She is as docile as a dog in our presence. When we are not there she will be in her mettle. None can easily come near our gate. Though she doesn't bite, she will bounce on the person and paralyze him. Since the postman regularly comes, she recognizes in him a friend and so does not do him any harm She will try to catch the sparrow and it will be a splendid sight to see.
I give her a Spartan food. She takes some biscuits and milk in the morning and meat mixed with rice in the afternoon. Usually she is not given any food in the night. When we are at our table, Rosy keeps company with me but she shows no eagerness to touch even a crumb unless offered. So my father likes it. Rosy cries in a peculiar way. It is between barking and howling. Sometimes, she raises a cry like moaning. That means she wants to go out to relieve herself.
Whenever I go out in the evening, she accompanies me. My friends are afraid of her because she doesn't like silly mischief of boys. She shows her displeasure by a big bark and that is enough to unnerve the boys. My father says, Rosy would soon become a mother. Then I will have a litter of nice puppies.


 Keeping the Burglars Away!
    Most people find a house break in to be a very stressful and emotional experience. In order to reduce the chance of a thief breaking in to your home follow these three steps.
    The first step to reducing the chances of having a break in at your home is to get to know your neighbours. Many blocks in Vancouver have a “Block Watch.” In this system, everyone on a block knows each others addresses, names, and telephone numbers. If you go away, you only need to call your closest neighbours and ask them to watch your house. If you see something, you will know the house number and can inform the police easily. Knowing your neighbours can effectively reduce break ins in your neighbourhood.
    Another effective way to reduce break ins is changing your behaviour around your home. For example, when you go out shopping, leave your radio on in the house, set to a talk radio station. Even if you are home, remember to lock your doors when you are working in the garden or hanging out the laundry since some thieves come in the back door when you are in the front yard. Lastly, don’t leave keys under your doormat or anywhere near your door. Your behaviour at home can help to cut down on break in opportunities.
    The most important means to keep thieves out of your home is by making physical changes. In most homes, an average thief can break the door lock in 2 seconds. Why? The lock is not secured to the doorframe properly. Use long screws (4 inches) to secure your deadbolt lock. For windows, make sure that your neighbours can see them and for sliding windows, for example, use an old hockey stick to keep anyone from opening it from outside. If the thief cannot get in your house because of your physical changes, you will not have any break ins.
    Following these three steps will help you to reduce your chances of a break in. Not following them, however, will help you to get to know your insurance adjuster better.

Do you agree or disagree? "Teenagers cannot make their own decisions; older people need to make decisions for them."
Parents and adult relatives play a significant role in shaping a child's life. They teach them how to live, and struggle for the right things. However when children grow up, often they fail to realize the contributions of their parents and adult relatives in their lives. Teenage children think that being a teenager they are able to make all the decisions of their lives. In my opinion, parents and adult relatives should make important decisions for their teenage children because teenagers are unexperienced, overconfident and many times they do not realize the consequences that the imnportant decisions can have on their lives.
Teenagers, being new in the adult world and having their first experiences of their adult lives, think themselves as grownups and perfectly able to make their own decisions. However, most of the times, their decisions are influenced by their friends. For example a student may get into a top university, but just because his/her friend is going to college, he/she wishes to go to college too. In this case the decision is obviously influencial, and can have great negative effects on his/ her life. At such a point the parents or the adult relatives should make decisions for their children.
Another reason why parents or the adult relatives decisons are very important is that the teenagers are over confident. The teenagers havent still been into practical life, and they dont have an idea of how the practial world works. Specially before the university, teenagers are living in kind of a fantasy world, where they think everything is cool and perfect. For example they might think that playing basket ball in the school gym is definetly going to get them selected on the national team. This may be true in some cases, but usually it doesnt work out this way. So if the teenager, just neglects his/her studies, he/she is going to be defintely in loss. At such points, like choosing the subjects in highschool, parents and/or adult relatives should make decisions for their teenage children.
In conclusion, althought teenagers might think the decisions being imposed on them as a stone in their paths, it is infact a blessing for them. Teenagers, being iresoponsible, and unexpereinced are not always able to make decisions for themselves. Hence parents and/or adult relatives should make the decisions for them.


Visit to the Zoo
Zoos are some of the most delightful places that children, and even adults of all ages love togo and visit. Zoos are more than just a place of entertainment and education for people, but also a place where animals are kept in safe enclosures protected from predators which they are exposed to if they are in their natural environments. Zoos allow us to enjoy viewing animals which otherwise we would have to make a trip to the wild safaris of some far away countries in Africa. Most of us who visit zoos may not pay to much attention to the amount of work and effort the zoos go through to bring to us such magnificient animals from far away places.
My first trip to the zoo was years ago during an elementary school field trip. It was an activity I remembered to this day. That was the first time I found myself in close proximity to wild animals like tigers, lions, giraffes, zebras and even animals from the cold antarctic regions like the penguin. Then, the last time I visited the zoo was about a year back when I took my kids. Children especially are fascinated with such exotic animals on display and in terms of educational value, I would say that the trip was worth every minute of time spent. However, there are some of us who feel that animals should not be kept in enclosures, but should rather be let out in the wild, in their natural habitat. Some feel that keeping animals in captivity is a form of cruelty. But looking at it from another perspective, the same animals may not survive this far had they been left on their own in the wilderness because of the presense of predators. I believe that without zoos, many of us would never have the opportunity to see for ourselves what a tiger or lion really look like, and that would be pathetic because we are not getting to see some of the most wonderful creations of God.
Zoos are more than just a display of animals. At designated times throughout the day, they have animal shows and we can enjoy watching seals showing off their skills with a ball, or dolphins displaying they talents with their trainers. Such shows are always accompanied by expressions of joy and enthusiasm among the audiences. Zoos also have many souvenir shops where we can buy interesting items as a form of remembrance of our trip. A trip to an average sized zoo would easily take up an entire day, and be prepared to have your lunch there. It will be time well spent and it will be something that you will remember for a long time to come.


The most important part of a job is the money one earns. Do you agee?
One aspect that all adults have in common is employment. Regardless of the field, adults pursue career goals and have a variety of motivations in doing so. Some of these motivations may include: making money, technological progress, helping the homeless or abused, or simply giving something back to the community they came from. While some people focus entirely of monetary gain, I believe that personal satisfaction and contributing to society is much more important.
First, personal satisfaction is more important than money. If people were only concerned with money, their life would be extremely unsatisfying. While a characteristic of Maslow's hierarchy of needs, financial gain is not the peak. After meeting their basic needs, people move on to higher levels than the one including money. The esteem level, rather than including money, deals with the need to be respected or have high self-esteem. This need is included in personal satisfaction.
Second, people look upon their job as a method of contributing towards society. Many people are concerned with factors other than money. While traditionally earning a significant amount of money, lawyers may work pro-bono for agencies such as the ACLU or the EFF. Agencies such as these have the sole purpose of protecting constitutional rights such as the right to free speech, yet are not able to offer even the smallest salary. Another field of employment traditionally known for high salaries is doctors. However, many doctors annually contribute to society through agencies such as Doctors without Borders, a nonprofit organization designed to bring medical care to third world countries unable to afford it. These doctors forgo financial gain to help the poor, an activity clearly contributing to society.
In short, while every adult works, not everyone is concerned with monetary gain. While people have different reasons for their career choices, I believe that personal satisfaction and contributing to society are two reasons that are more important than money. Simply being rich will never provide the satisfaction that contributing to society will. After all, as the saying goes, “money can not buy happiness.”


Do you agree with the following statement? Television has destroyed communication among friends and family. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
When television was first introduced it was an appealing novelty that has since gained unprecedented popularity. While some argue that television encourages spirited conversation among friends and family members, others believe that television has done just the opposite. In my opinion, I think television has destroyed communication among friends and families by fostering isolation. In the following essay, I will use specific reasons and examples to support this view.
To begin with, television programs distract and disrupt conversations rather than bringing people together. This is because rather than spending quality time with families and friends, most people now prefer sitting in front of their television sets and silently watching their favorite shows. We all know how hard it is to carry on a conversation while watching television. People are discarding and ignoring potentially important conversations simply by focusing on the show rather than listening or talking to others.
Next, I believe television has not only destroyed communication among friends and family, it has also crushed relationships. Let’s picture a saleswoman, who has been yelled at by her boss for something entirely not her fault; she comes home and wishes to talk about her feelings with her husband. The husband, however, is entirely engrossed in a football match, totally clueless about the situation as he ignores her. The two then start fighting because the wife thinks that her man cares more about whether the Denver Broncos have scored a touchdown than her own emotions. This lack of sensitivity and respect will lead to misunderstanding and may foster negative emotions and television is to be blamed for this.
Finally, as we get used to the number of hours we spend in front of our television sets, we are neglecting time that could have been spent talking with friends and networking. For example, an office worker may come home every night and watch television as a way to relax and unwind. Being a recent university graduate, he may be required to work long hours, always trying to please his boss in order to advance his career. However, as he spends more time watching television instead of developing social relationships with his friends and colleagues, he may lose the opportunity to network. Television nowadays is all about instant gratification. The more we watch television, the less patient we become. Lack of patience does not encourage good communication and it turns us into bad listeners, too.
In conclusion, while television's primary goal is to provide entertainment or perhaps to educate and enlighten, watching too much television causes problems. Viewers will be unable to focus on conversations that are taking place, and once we become addicted to watching television, we might not have the patience to develop actual relationships. People should remember that a real relationship involves two or more people who are willing to invest both time and effort. Television should not be in the picture.



Vacation at the Beach or in the Mountains
People are always looking forward to their vacation period. There are many options where to choose. I think that the two most common places people choose for taking a vacation are the mountains and the beaches. Both places offer a variety of fun activities. The beach offers activities that the mountain cannot offer and vice versa. The mountain and the beach are totally different. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the climate, types of activities and locations of beaches and mountains.
I'm going to discuss mountains first. The three aspects I'm going to discuss are climate, types of activities and location. Climate is always important in order to enjoy vacations. If a person dislikes cold weather, he or she might have a hard time in the mountains. The cold climate in the mountains is the first barrier to enjoying them, but the climate and the temperature of these zones also determine the types of activities they offer. Snow boarding, mountain climbing, mountain biking, hiking, and skiing are some activities people can enjoy when going to the mountains. There are many regions that have mountains where people can go and have a great vacation. Canada is a country located in North America and contains many mountain vacation sites where people can go and have fun.
I'm going to discuss the beach second. The three aspects I'm going to discuss are climate, types of activities and location. Warm climate is one of the most important features that the beach has. Sun and fun are two words that describe the beach. The temperature in those places is always hot. The sea and the warm climate determine the activities that are available at the beach. People can swim, play volleyball, play soccer, and ride water bikes. In most coastal sites, there are discos and restaurants where people can dance or party throughout the night. Mexico offers many amazing coastal sites to visit. Acapulco and Cancun are two of the most beautiful and famous beaches in the world.
It doesn't matter what place a person decides to choose. The fun is 100% guaranteed. People often choose one of these two options to spend their vacations. Depending on what the person likes is what he or she will choose. I like the beach better than the mountains, but sometimes it is better to take a risk and try a different place to enjoy.



Growing Up in the City or the Contryside
While many people , including some educators and social scientists, agree that the countryside is better for the health and physical development of children, i believe that growing up in a big city provides children with more advantages than in the countryside. This is because children can receive more chances for better educations and cultural experiences if they grow up in an urban setting in comparison with growing up in the countryside.
Living in a big city almost guarantees children a better chance of receiving a better education than in the countryside. It only stands to reason that more populated areas will be equipped with more schools and facilities that support them such as large libraries , museums , zoos and other educational establishments that can assist children in their overall education . Parents can choose where to send their children to school based upon their own set of requirements and special needs or abilities of the children.
In contrast, the children living in the countryside normally have few , if any, choices concerning where they will attend school and the educational facilities mentioned above as far and few between.
In addition to a better variety of educational opportunities ,children can learn through more cultural experiences when growing up in a big city.
Since cities are busy places with events always going on , on the weekends children can have the opportunity to attend concerts or recitals ,view exhibits in museums and cultural cultural centers and exposed to many different kinds of people with different backgrounds. On the other hand, children in the countryside are very limited as to their exposure to cultural events and the types of people they see. Seldom do they ever even enter a museum or come into contract with people from different themselves . This can limit their knowledge and view of people outside their communities.
To conclude, while the countryside surely provides benefits such as cleaner air, less noise and a calmer lifestyle , the benefits of living in a big city far outweigh those of living in the countryside . This is due to the fact that children can gain a better education and more cultural experiences when they grow up in a big city.



    

Animals which help man
Man is not only denizen of this wonderful world of ours. He says he has inherited this earth; so too are other animals of the earth. It is sheer arrogance not to admit our dependence on other animals. They contribute not a little to our welfare. Even the so-called wild animals have some part to play in our lives on earth. Now let us see how some animals help man.
The first and foremost is the cow. Who can deny that one does not enjoy a cup of milk? Next to the mother's milk, the cow's milk is the best for all, especially for children and the sick. From milk, butter, cheese, ghee etc. are made. Skimmed milk is also nutritive. Further, milk goes into the manufacture of sweets. The male of the cow, that is the ox has been used as draught animal from time immemorial. So the farmer uses it for ploughing his field, and for pulling his cart.. Milk is so valuable and in great demand that dairy farming has come to be one of the major industries. The animals are slaughtered for their meat. Some countries like Australia, Argentine and the United States have vast cattle ranches which supply world's meat.
Next to the cow is the horse. Man's civilization has a lot to do with the horse. Till recent times, the horse was used for riding, ploughing and pulling carts. In olden days, armies were proud of their cavalries, that is horse troops. Even today horse races are very popular and perhaps a costly pastime. The race horses are worth thousands of dollars. The horse is a very noble animal and very sensitive too. The Arabian horses are famous even today.
Then we may mention the sheep. In the matter of number and use, the sheep stands foremost. The sheep supplies man with wool for his clothing and meat for his table. In cold countries the sheep thrives very well and the wool is found very useful in the manufacture of warm clothing. The lamb is a symbol of innocence.
The list will not be complete without the mention of the dog. The dog was as wild as the wolf. How it came to be domesticated, is a matter of speculation. But one thing is certain, from the dawn of civilization, the man and the dog were friends. They have found each other's company useful. No other animal is so faithful and sincere as the dog. There are very many kinds of dogs. Some are good at hunting; some are vigilant and house-keepers. Some are beautiful and so kept as pets. The dog's sense of smell is so highly developed that it is used by the police in tracing criminals.



Watching Television Is Bad for Children
Television is an ever-present form of entertainment and information in modern society. Although there are many excellent educational programs, I believe that television may not be good for children. This is because television can make children more violent due to violent content and because television may have a negative influence on children’s schoolwork. One problem is that television makes children more aggressive. Oftentimes, especially in the evenings and on cable television there is a lot of violence depicted in programs.
Children are often exposed to these programs, and there are some people that believe that these programs can even make children more violent. In the news, there was a story about a young boy who was watching an action movie that had a lot of fighting. The boy tried some of the things that he saw in the movie on his younger brother and put him in the hospital. The problem is that many of the characters in movies that are performing violent actions are supposed to be the heroes, and children want to mimic the actions of their heroes. In a young mind, seeing as children are copying heroic action, they do not see it as a wrong behavior.
Another big problem with television is that it may have a negative influence on children’s schoolwork. Every moment spent in front of a television screen is one less moment spent on more productive activities. In recent years, educators have pointed out a drop in academic performance, and one of the culprits may be television. When children are at home, especially alone, they tend to turn on the TV in order to be passively entertained. However, there is no learning going on when one just sits and watches TV. That is much easier than putting thought into schoolwork.
Television can be addictive and cause children to spend more time watching TV than doing their homework. Children have to be monitored to make sure that the bulk of their time is spent on the more important activities, such as learning. Television can be an entertaining way to spend free time as long as it is not abused. However, children especially need to monitored when they watch TV. This is because there is evidence that television violence is causing some children to be more aggressive, and TV may also be harming children academically. As with anything, watching too much television is bad for children.



Imagine that you are the sole survivor of a ship-wreck
You were to struggle two or three days in a stormy sea, before you were rescued by some fishermen. Describe your experiences.
 loud crash; a rending of steel and wood; a swirling uprush of water. I opened my eyes and I, alone, was alive -- alive in stormy angry sea. I took several deep breaths and began to tread water, slowly so that I could maintain my upright position and conserve my energy. Struggling for breath. I began to look around me. Floating on the stormy grey waves which stretched as far as the eye cold see, were the remains of what had once been my ship. Huge planks of wood were lying like shining sleeping monsters on the surface. Hundreds of life-belts, white and new looking were drifting to and fro. The people, some of them my friends, who might have been saved by them are now drowned, dead and gone forever, I thought. On one life belt, some material clung damply. Curiosity made me swim nearer. It was a cheongsam, brightly colored and gay. But there was no gaiety here !
A huge wave lashed over my head an I began to sink, slowly. Coral, fish of many brilliant colors, the bright green flora and fauna of the sea kaleidoscoped before my eyes. I shut my eyes and prayed. After what seemed a lifetime, I found myself rising, floating upwards, till the grey of a sullen sky and the even duller grey of the sea hit my eyes.
It was becoming darker and slowly the stars were appearing one by one. There was a lull in the storm and the night seemed almost beautiful. But not for long, gigantic biting gales arose and the seas, lashed by fierce monsoon rains and winds tossed me and the remains of my ship on the surface, like pitiful corks. I shall never survive, I thought. Desperately, I swam to a piece of wood and, clinging to it, watched the night stars fade, one by one, until the dawn, when a pale streak of sun, gradually stole over the ocean. I felt that I would never be warm again.
Throughout the next day, and the next night, I clung to the wood as pots, pans, a looking-glass and a child's toy: all the life of the doomed ship tossed and eddied before me, now turned into the flotsam and jetsam of the sea.
With despair, I began to resign myself to death, when far away, out on the stormy seas, I saw a fishing boat. With one hand I waved frantically, clinging tot he wood with the other. Shouting, yelling, screaming with fear and relief, I finally attracted its attention. It began to move towards me. Kind hands helping me on board, soft voices, warmth and safety were mine at last.
            

How do movies or television influence people?
Hesitating I enter my house, the light outside is dimming and the shadows make everything appear unfamiliar. I  know that my husband has not returned from work yet, simply because his car is not in the garage. I am alone. I carefully check all the rooms, almost expecting something to happen suddenly. I hold my bag in my hand as if it were a weapon. After the whole house has been declared “clear,” I start to breathe normally again and a smile appears on my face as I realize, once again, how a simple movie seen at the cinema a week earlier can modify my actions.
Sometimes I wonder if I should watch TV, with all its shows that make me wonder whether I exercise enough, whether I am slim enough, or whether I treat my pets with the care they deserve: am I really concerned about their mental health??? Not to mention the hundreds of commercials that try to make me believe I need a water purifier to remain alive since the water I am currently drinking is heavily polluted! And countless are the times when I have heard people talking by quotations learned from movies… We need to watch shows and films to know what to say, how to be, how to act. We are so addicted to all this that it almost seems like we cannot think on our own.
I cannot help thinking about what happened to me some days ago, an example that clearly shows what kind of power TV has over people. My husband and I were in a restaurant when I heard my young neighbor pronouncing violent words in a low angry voice. Surprised, I turned to better understand the situation and I saw that he was holding a fake military device and was acting as if he were filming a war movie. I am sure that if I had been a little be more updated about this type of movie, I would have recognized what he was saying as a quotation. Now, I wonder if he uses such a language also with his friends and with his parents, if he is aggressive, and if so, whether his attitude has really nothing to do with what he watches on TV.
That same evening on the way home I saw two cars stopped one next to the other at a traffic light and as soon as the light turned green they started racing, in the middle of town. In this case not even a major knowledge of movies and TV programs would have helped me: there are just to many of them on the market showing the exact same thing: people racing with cars.
I am sure that everybody, if asked, could easily list many other examples of how TV and movies can modify our behavior and therefore our life but, I wonder, if we will always be able to draw the line between a TV show and real life, between what they make us think we want and what instead we really need and are and believe.


Consider the uses and abuses of television
Most people agree that television is one of the most important inventions of this century. Pinions vary as to its value but no one can deny its great effect upon society.
Firstly, television is one of the greatest educators of all time. Documentary programs about foreign countries and their inhabitants, instructional programs on medicine, science, engineering, natural history and many others are all brought to the homes of ordinary people who without television would have known little about these things. In this connection too, special 'Schools' Television has been introduced in some parts of the world. In these programs pictures, films and diagrams, greatly add to the knowledge of the pupils.
At its best, television is a good form of entertainment which stimulates or creates an interest in the arts. we can see top-line artists cheaply and easily at home. A piano recital by Rubinstein, and orchestra conducted by Stokowski, an hour with the Beatles: all these would be beyond the pockets of most of us. Hitherto theatre-going was limited to the very few. Nowadays there are many good plays to be seen on Television with first class actors and actresses. Consequently, the love of the theater is far more widespread.
As a companion to old people, television has unquestionable use. People who have no one to talk to in the evenings or at leisure are now no longer alone. The old who cannot get out to cinemas and theaters do not have to forget these entertainment's as television provides them.
Scientifically television has its uses Photographs can now be relayed to earth from space by means of it.
Like other great inventions, television can be and is, unfortunately, abused. It is said that television makes 'watchers' and not 'doers', and that people will watch a game on it rather than play one themselves. It is also said that hobbies tend to suffer because of too much 'viewing'. Reading, sewing, carpentry, gardening -- all these can be neglected if television had too strong a hold.
As well as the public, the producers themselves often abuse this medium. The programs are often poor with mediocre talent or illiterate and ill-informed views. Vice and crime can e given too much emphasis and therefore have a disastrous effect upon millions of viewers, especially the young.
Certainly there is abuse, but if this medium is used with intelligence and discrimination by both producers and viewers, then it can become a blessing and not a curse to mankind.



It has been announced that a new restaurant may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan.
I can see both advantages and disadvantages to having a new restaurant built in our neighborhood. I'm worried about traffic and how it will affect our neighborhood. However, I think that it will benefit local businesses and increase appreciation for our neighborhood. Overall, I think it is a good idea.
Traffic congestion is always a concern when you build something new. Our streets are narrow, with parking on both sides. More cars traveling through the neighborhood could cause a lot of congesting. Traffic means parking problems, too. Our neighborhood has very few garages attached to the houses. Most of us depend on finding a space to park on the street. If the new restaurant is built, we'll be competing for those spaces with the restaurant's patrons. Plus, if the restaurant offers wallet parking, it'll be even worse. Valet parkers work in teams to grab every possible space available on the street.I'm also concerned about the type of patrons this new restaurant will bring into our neighborhood. A family restaurant wouldn't be a problem. However, if it's going have a bar and dancing, then there could be problems. The restaurant would stay open later, and people leaving the restaurant might be drunk. Who wouldn't worry about rowdy customers staggering around our neighborhood in the early morning hours, looking for their cars?
I have to admit, though, there are advantages to a new restaurant. Our neighborhood could certainly use the jobs the restaurant would provide. Not only that, the money neighborhood residents would earn there would likely be spent at other neighborhood businesses. This would give a boost to those businesses and make our neighborhood more prosperous.
A new restaurant would also attract a lot of people to our neighborhood. They could see what a nice area this is to live. That might attract new residents to the neighborhood. That would be a good thing, because we've been losing residents to the suburbs the last couple of years.
There are a lot of details to consider, but all in all, I support the idea of this new restaurant in our neighborhood.


Some high schools require all students to wear school uniforms. Other high schools permit students to decide what to wear to school. Which of these two school policies do you think is better?
There is an ongoing debate among students, parents and educators concerning whether or not high schools should require students to wear school uniforms. Both sides offer advantages and disadvantages for each point of view. In my view, schools should require students to wear uniforms because young students can focus on studies rather than fashion, and uniforms lay a base of equality among students in the academic setting.
First of all, school uniforms can prompt young students to concentrate on the purpose of school: academics. In a school, with no required dress, students spend a lot of their time deciding on what to wear, checking out what everyone is wearing and discussing fashion when they should be studying. However, in a school, with a required dress code, students are all wearing the same thing with very little variation. Thus, they do not feel the need to worry about what to wear or what their classmates are wearing. Furthermore, it eliminates in-class discussion over current fashion trends and leaves the students more time and energy to focus on the academics, which is the reason why they are at school in the first place.
In addition, uniforms can put students on a more equal standing in the academic atmosphere. First, uniforms make students equal in terms of economic levels. By looking at students in uniforms, we cannot tell which students come from rich families and which students come from poor families. That eliminates jealously over stylish clothes. Second, uniforms can reduce the unequal treatment based on fashion assumptions by teachers. Research shows that teachers often attach higher expectations to students who are better dressed. This unwanted special attention can include the teachers providing more challenges and opportunities for these students. With uniforms, the teachers are better able to make judgments based on ability and performance, not on appearance.
In conclusion, having a uniform requirement in schools eliminates several problems. By wearing uniforms, students will focus their attention on their studies instead of fashion. Besides, school uniforms supply an equal footing for students in that they eliminate judgments and envy based on money, and teachers will mete out equal treatment to students. There is plenty of time after school and on the weekends for students to think about fashion. School is not a place for it.



Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Attending a live performance (for example, a play, concert, or sporting event) is more enjoyable than watching the same event on television. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
People have different preferences in the ways that they like to enjoy their entertainment. Some people prefer the comfort and convenience of staying home and watching concerts, plays or sports on television. However, there are other people who prefer to attend the events in person. As for me, I prefer to attend a live performance because television does not provide a vivid experience and because the limitations of broadcasts prevent viewers from seeing everything they want to see.
First of all, attending a live performance provides a more vivid experience than watching the same event on television. Take for an example, a baseball game. While it is possible to watch and enjoy a baseball game on television, it is not the same experience as being there. At a live game, you are able to experience other aspects such as the various moods and sounds of the event. Being at the game live allows you to cheer for your favorite team with other spectators. There is even a possibility of meeting your favorite players at the stadium or catching a fly ball. These types of vivid experiences are not available through television.
In addition to sporting events, a live performance, like a play, allows people to catch every subtle detail of the stage and the performers. When you watch a performance on television at home, you can only see what the cameras show you. The cameras are usually focused on the primary action at any given time, and they do not show you what is going on with the other performers. However, when you are there, you can turn your attention to any aspect of the performance that you wish to. Furthermore, by being at the performance live, you can see all the extra activities that go on prior to and after the performance. Television does not usually provide you with that much detail.
To sum up, while watching events on television can be entertaining, it is not equal to the experience of watching events live. This is because television does not give you vivid sensory experiences and does not show you everything that you would like to see; those are limitations of television. For maximum enjoyment, there is nothing like watching performances and sporting events in person.



Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed (damaged) by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. What is your opinion? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
There is a no doubt that mankind has come up with some great inventions and advancements that have made our lives more convenient. In conjunction with that fact, there are many people that believe these have made the Earth a better place to live. On the other hand, there are others that believe the Earth is being harmed by these activities. From my perspective, human activities harm the Earth is being harmed by these activities. From my perspective, human activities harm the Earth because the atmosphere has been damaged and forests have been destroyed as side effects of human activities.
To begin with, the atmosphere of the Earth has been severely damaged because of the activities of mankind. Unfortunately, many people disregard the dangers presented by this damage. One of the key factors in the development of society has been industry. While industry has supplied us with many conveniences such as cars, oil and everything else we use in everyday life, the pollution that comes from such activities has put holes in the ozone layer, pollution also makes it difficult for people in certain parts of the world to breathe because factories that support industry pump Freon, carbon monoxide and other pollutants into the atmosphere.
Another terrible side effect of human activity involves the forests. Forests around the world have been decimated by the civilization of human society. To feed the industry that supplies us with our everyday items, the world has developed a relentless hunger for wood. Because of the continuous need for wood, tens of thousands of acres of virgin forests have been destroyed or are being destroyed in the major forest areas of the world. Trees have a very important role to play in the world ecosystem, but the ecosystem is greatly out of balance in many areas because of human activities. If trees are taken out of the ecosystem, humans will also find themselves endangered someday.
To sum up, the development of human society has given us great benefits and conveniences, but in the long run we are harming ourselves and are not thinking about the future. Many people enjoy these developments and just ignore the negative aspects. In my opinion, because of the damage to the atmosphere and forests of the world, the Earth is being severely harmed by human activities.



Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Television , newspapers, magazines, and other media pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people such as public figures and celebrities. Use specific reasons and details to explain your opinion.
Everyone all around the world enjoys various kinds of entertainment such as sports, games, movies, TV shows or music. However, there is an argument about whether the media pay too much attention to the personal lives of the public figures we see in entertainment. In my opinion, it is true that the media do focus too much on what celebrities are doing in their private lives. I believe this for two reasons: everywhere on TV you can find people talking about celebrities, and in magazines you can always find gossip and pictures of celebrities.
First of all, every time you turn on the television, you can see talk shows, interviews and documentaries with the personal lives of celebrities, whether willingly or unwillingly. It is okay to have some programming about celebrities in order to make fans happy, but it should not dominate the channels. Sometimes, when I turn in the television to find something interesting to watch, all I can find are programs about celebrities and what they are doing in their lives. Even when I just want to watch the news, there is often a celebrity giving their opinion on world events. Television is not only for entertainment, but also for information, so it is not necessary to always have celebrities as the center of programming.
Magazines of different varieties also pay too much attention to the personal lives of famous people. In fact, magazines may be even worse than television. Take the tabloids for example. Because a tabloid is published every week, and in some cases every day, reporters must work hard to constantly dig up new information. This constant need for celebrity information sometimes induces the ‘paparazzi’, or celebrity reporters, to file articles in which the content is either overly exaggerated or falsified. All of this is done to feed the curiosity of fans and to increase the subscription. As a result, these false articles not only defame reputation of famous people but also inflict psychological damage.
To conclude, I believe that the media puts too much emphasis on the lives of people involved in the entertainment industry. Television places them in areas of our lives where they do not belong, such as on the news. In addition, magazines, especially the tabloids, are constantly supplying celebrity gossip even if they have to make up stories on their own. It might be a good idea for people to put their passions for celebrities in the proper perspective and realize that they are not the center of our lives.



It has recently been announced that a new movie theater may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
Recently, I have heard that there is a plan to build a new movie theater in my neighborhood. Although some people assert that a new movie theater would provide sine benefits, I oppose this plan to establish a new movie theater in my community because the problems outweigh the benefits. There will be an increase in traffic and noise in my neighborhood.
To begin with, there will be an increase in traffic congestion because of a new movie theater. As it is, the area where I live already has a severe traffic problem. Adding a new movie theater will only make it worse because of the people who will come from all around to see movies, especially on the weekends. The streets will probably have to be widened to accommodate more traffic, but that will also cause more people to use that route, even if they are not going to the movie theater. A new theater might also mean more buses operating in that area. Therefore, a lot of traffic jams will occur as a result of a new movie theater.
Not only will a movie theater bring traffic congestion, but it will also make our peaceful neighborhood very noisy. There will be more car horns because of the traffic. However, the car horns are only part of the noise problem that will result in having a new theater. First of all, there will be a lot of construction noise while they are actually building the theater, which will go on continually for months. After it is built, the theater will attract huge crowds of people for the purpose of seeing movies, and they will most likely stay in the neighborhood after the movie for food and drink in the restaurants and bars. Consequently, our peaceful and mostly quiet neighborhood will be transformed into a loud center of noise.
Of course, some people could support the plan to build a new movie theater in my community because of the convenience of entertainment, but I do not support the plan. This is because the movie theater will bring traffic congestion into my neighborhood, and the noise will make living conditions in the neighborhood not nearly as nice as they have been in the past. I do not want to trade peace and quiet for convenience to see a movie.


You have received a gift of money. The money is enough to buy either a piece of jewelry you like or tickets to a concert you want to attend. Which would you buy? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
If I were given money as a gift and had a choice between buying a piece of jewelry that I like or tickets to a concert that I want to attend, I would most likely choose the concert tickets. It would be nice to have some new jewelry, but I think the concert tickets would be the better choice. This is because a concert is a lifelong experience and because I can enjoy a concert with my friends.
Most of all, a piece of jewelry can be pretty and I feel good when I wear it, but music is a lifelong interest that I will continue to have throughout my life. Going to a live concert can be a wonderful experience that I will remember for a long time, but when I buy a piece of jewelry, the good feeling I get from buying it will last only a short time. The gift of going to a concert can keep on giving even after the concert is over. If I enjoy the concert, I can buy the music that I saw live on a CD and listen to it many times over and relive the experience. Each time I listen to the music, I might find a new detail that I did not notice before, but a piece of jewelry is always the same.
In addition, not only would I enjoy going to a concert with the money I receive as a gift, but my friends would also enjoy attending the concert with me. It is always nice to listen to music, but it is made even more enjoyable when it is seen live with friends. If my friends and I tire of doing the same old things together, like going to coffee shops or movie theaters, a concert would liven up and renew our friendship. If I bought a piece of jewelry, my friends would not really be able to enjoy it with me because I am the only one that can wear it, but by going to a concert together we would be able to strengthen our relationship.
To sum up, while having a new piece of jewelry is nice, I would prefer to buy tickets for a concert if I were given money as a gift. The reasons why I would choose the concert tickets over a piece of jewelry are that going to a concert can be a wonderful and lifelong experience, and that I can improve relations with my friends by attending a concert.




It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
As the population continues to grow in communities surrounding my own, business have made a variety of proposals to take advantage of the continuous influx of people. The most recent announcement of plans for a large shopping center has been met with both agreement and trepidation. While some believe that a new shopping center will lead to increased traffic and pollution, I believe that this is not the case and fully support plans for its construction. A new shopping center will offer shoppers more convenience and benefit the local economy.
First, being able to do all of my shopping at once is a huge convenience. Since my community has gotten progressively larger, I have always had to travel all over town to get everything I need. For example, if I wanted to go grocery shopping I would have to go to Hamiltons for my fruit and vegetables, Aberdeen Center for meat and the Dairy Farm for milk. While these specialty stores offer a wide selection of individual products, a large shopping center could put them all in one place. This would save me both a significant amount of time and alleviate the stress of running from one place to the next trying to get everything before the stores closed for the day.
Second, a large shopping center would help develop the local economy. A shopping center regularly people from all the communities within driving distance. A large shopping center would support businesses such as restaurants, bars, movies theaters, and designer clothes boutiques. These businesses would ensure a regular influx of people into the local community which would translate into additional revenue. This would lead to more jobs being created in my community with more overall money for the government to develop my area further.
In short, a large shopping center in my area would bring numerous advantages. For local residents it would mean being able to do all their shopping in one place, saving them time and alleviating stress. My area would also benefit from new businesses employing local residents. For these reasons I would support a large shopping center being constructed in my area.



Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways, or should governments spend more money on improving public transportation (buses, trains, subways)? Why? Use specific reasons and details to develop your essay.
Should governments spend more money on improving roads and highways or on improving public transportations? There seems to be a difficult problem since many reasons should be involved. However, after carefully pondering it, I buttress the last one, spending the money on improving public transportation. The reasons are presented below:
There is no denying that improving the public transportation will surely alleviate the pollution given off by enormous cars. If a city has not a developed public transportation, the air will be polluted more heavily. What a dirty environment we will live in! Every day breathing into the air filled with the flour of the gasoline, seeing the sky with the dull color will be the title of our life. So the essence of environment has been realized by an increasingly number of people, to the governments, the protection of environment is especially an undeniable mission.
Another reason I agree with it is that developed public transportation will decrease the frequency of the traffic jams. Perhaps no worse word than 'traffic jams' exists, to the businessmen who believe in 'Time is money'. Traffic jams not only cost the people time and expense, but also create a bad mood for work. It greatly decreases the efficiency of the whole city. I imagine how can a city whose avenue full of traffic jams develop its economics?
Finally, I want to say that improving the public transportation provide a great number of ways of transportation for most of the poor people who can not afford to buy a car. It is known that our citizens is not made of only people who has the ability to own a car, but the very poor people are also included. I believe that however the technology is improved, the public apparatus should not be ignored, because it serves the people all over the city.
Nevertheless, the private transportation has its own advantages, for instance, it can save a lot of time in some cases, provide some convenience for people. But improving on roads and highways is advantageous only conditionally. Based on the above discussion, I agree with the opinion that the government should spend money on improving public transportation not only it can protect environment and save time for people, but it also can create a convenient environment for all the citizens.




“When people succeed, it is because of hard work. Luck has nothing to do with success.” Do you agree or disagree with the quotation above? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your position.
Some people believe that success can be only obtained from hard working. However I do not agree with this view because I saw many people who become a millionaire by winning a public lottery and a lot of scientific facts found by accident. There are some specific reasons why I believe that luck is related to success.
First, there are many people who become a rich or occupy jobs without efforts. For example, a person who are born rich can spend a lot of money for one's whole life even if he did not have a job. Moreover, some people win a public lottery and become a millionaire by luck. Although many people bought lotteries, a probability of winning is too low to difficult to win. However, someone can achieve this fortune. These cases can not be explained by anything except luck. Besides, the person whose father is a president of a big company can get a job or promote easily.
Secondly, many scientific results are found by accident. That is, facts which scientists never intend can occur and develop something new. For example, a penicillin which is founded by professor Fleming is an incidental discovery. When Fleming made an experiment about germs, he saw germs which is covered with mold. However, some day he found germs which become clean, and he studies a reason of this phenomenon over and over. Finally, he named it penicillin. Besides, Archimedes also found buoyant force's theory while he were taking a bath by chance.
In sum, luck is very important thing to succeed because there are many people who succeed easily through winning lotteries or borning in a wealth family. Moreover, scientific theories which are known to us are also found by chance.


Some people prefer to live in a small town. Others prefer to live in a big city. Which place would you prefer to live in? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
I grew up in a small town and then moved to a big city, so I have experienced the good and bad sides of both. I never thought that I would like living in a big city, but I was wrong. After ten years of living in one, I can't imagine ever living in a small town again.
Small towns and big cities both have some problems in terms of transportation. In a small town, you have to own a car to ensure a comfortable living. You can't get around without one because there isn't any kind of public transportation. Big cities generally have heavy traffic and expensive parking, but there you have a choice of taking public transportation. It's not free, but it's often cheaper than driving when you consider gas and time. Especially if you don't have a car, you're better off in the city.
I love the excitement of big cities. Small towns have a slow pace. Large cities mean you have to adapt to a variety of situations, like finding a new route to work or trying a new restaurant. I enjoy that challenge very much. Another pan of the excitement of city living is the variety of cultural activities available. There is a wide assortment of theatre, music and dance performances available in big cities. These things are rare in small ones.
The final thing I like about large cities is the diversity of the people. The United States is made up of people of different races, religions, abilities, and interests. However, you seldom find such a variety of people in a smaller town. I think that living in an area where everyone was just like me would quickly become boring.
Of course, security is a concern, and that's one area where small towns are superior to big cities. Still, I would rather be a bit more cautious and live in a large city than to feel secure but bored.


Some people like to travel with a companion. Other people prefer to travel alone. Which do you prefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
Traveling is a common hobby for people around the world these days. While there are some people who like to travel with a companion, there are other people who prefer to travel alone. There are definitely pros and cons associated with each preference. As for me, I prefer to travel with another person because sometimes traveling can be lonely, and it is also safer if I am traveling with a companion.
One reason why I prefer to travel with one or more people is that sometimes traveling alone can get lonely. However, if I am traveling with someone, I can ease that lonely feeling. For example, if I am touring around Europe visiting museums and looking at famous sites, I might want to share that experience and talk about what I am looking at. If I am visiting a museum with a companion, we can discuss the art and share opinions about what we are seeing, but if I am alone, there will be no one to talk to. Traveling with a companion also makes eating, flying, shopping and other activities more interesting because sharing in the experience is part of the fun.
Another reason is that traveling with a friend or in a group is much safer than traveling alone. For instance, what if I am hiking on a mountain alone in a foreign land and I get injured? If I am traveling alone, probably no one will come along to help me, but if I am traveling with a companion, that person can go for help. In addition, in every country there are thieves and other types of bad people that take advantage of tourists. Criminals would be more reluctant to bother two people traveling together than they would one person on their own. This is an especially important point for female travelers or for people traveling in an unstable environment.
Sometimes, it is nice to travel alone and it is okay to do that, but if I had to choose between traveling alone and traveling with a companion, I would be most likely to choose traveling with a companion. I prefer that way because it is very lonely traveling alone with no one to talk to and it is safer to travel with a companion in case of an emergency. I am sure that most people would agree with those two points.



Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Most experiences in our lives that seemed difficult at the time become valuable lessons for the future. Use reasons and specific examples to support our answer.
No one goes through life without running into trouble once in a while. Some people think that these experiences that seemed difficult while they were talking place teach us valuable lessons that will be useful in the future. Others think that difficult times end with the solution to the problem and no longer have an effect on our lives. As for me, I agree with the former idea because difficult experiences can teach us lessons through mistakes, and these experiences also make it easier to deal with similar challenges in the future.
For one thing, if we learn from out difficult experiences, we are not likely to make the mistakes again. Take an example a freshman in university who spends most of his time having fun with his friends and very little time studying and preparing for exams. As the time for exams grows closer, the freshman will become nervous and have to spend the last few days cramming for the upcoming exams. It will be a very stressful time for the student. However, after this experience the student will probably not neglect his study. Instead, he will make an effort to study regularly throughout the semester so as to avoid such stress again. This is just one example of how a difficult situation can help us in the future.
Furthermore, difficult experiences will provide us with necessary knowledge that we can use when a similar problem comes up. For instance, if you start a new job and have a confrontation with a coworker, it will probably be a very awkward situation because you have had no experience in that type of situation. However, every time it happens, you can learn new and better methods of dealing with such things. Eventually, that type of situation ceases to be such a difficult situation because you are able to deal with it quickly and effectively. After some time, you can become efficient in dealing with people. In the working world, this is a valuable skill. Dealing with difficulties is the only way to learn this lesson.
A lot of people think that it is better to avoid all difficult experiences if it is at all possible, but difficult experiences can be useful in teaching us through the mistakes that we make. These experiences also make it easier for us to deal with the same challenges when they arise again. For these reasons, I maintain that difficult experiences are essential in teaching us valuable lessons for the future.



Is it more important to be able to work with a group of people on a team or to work independently? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
It is a fact that after becoming adults we have to go to work in order to make money. Some people think it is important for employees to know how to work with other people as part of a team while others think it is more important to be able to function independently. I think that it is more important to be able to function in a group in order to put out higher quality work and to be able to fit into the modern day working environment.
First of all, you can produce a high quality of work when working with others. There is an old saying that goes ‘two heads are better than one’. With that in mind, it only stands to reason that if you have a team of people working together towards the same goal, the results will be better. No two people think alike, so if you have a group working together, the chances are that individuals are going to come up with ideas or solutions to problems that the others in the group did not think of. Suppose you are working on a marketing team, everyone comes from different backgrounds and each worker knows the minds of different kinds of people. In that case, a marketing team is able to come up with a plan that will cover the largest segment of society. A person working alone will not understand how the majority think; thus, his or her plan will cover a far smaller segment.
In addition, it is necessary for people today to be able to function in a group. The working environment in the modern world is different than it was in the past. One hundred years ago, people could sufficiently complete the workload assigned to them because it was on a smaller scale. However, business today is global and it is nearly impossible for one worker to cover all tasks that need to be done. That is why it is necessary for people to be able to function in a group. If they are unable to do so, they will meet with little success while those who can work in a team will make advancements within their companies. In the past, taking initiative and doing everything on your own would usually ensure success, but business in the modern era is a group effort.
To sum up, while there are still careers where people can do better on their own than in a group, the majority of businesses require a team functioning like a well-oiled machine. The ability to produce high-quality work and the shape of the business world nowadays make it necessary to work as part of a team.



Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? The best way to travel is in a group led by a tour guide. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.
answer 1)When people go on a vacation to a foreign country, they have several options on how to travel. Some people insist that the best way to get around in a foreign country should be to go in a group led by a tour guide. There are others who support the opinion that it is best to go on your own. I support the latter opinion because travelers have little control of their time with a tour guide and there is little privacy traveling in a group.
One of the reasons why I do not like to go in a group with a guide is because there is little flexibility as to time. If you are part of a tour group, you are subject to their time schedule and time restrictions. For instance, imagine you are touring Paris and stop in at the Louvre Museum. The guide will usually take you to the more famous pieces of art and give you only moments to look around on your own. However, what if you want to take your time and look around for a while? That would be impossible because otherwise you will keep the bus full of other tourists waiting. There are other examples  of these restrictions including how long you get to eat and what time you have to get up in the morning. Therefore, traveling on your own supplies more time flexibility.
Another downside to going on a group tour is that there is very little privacy. For example, imagine you are on your honeymoon, but you are traveling with a tour group. This is a very romantic time that a new couple would like to use for time with each other. However, in a group tour you are always with other people and cannot avoid spending time with the group. The group eats together, travels together and stays in the same hotels. The honeymooners get very little time for romantic dinners, taking walks together or doing other activities that honeymooners would like to do. For this reason, it would probably be better for honeymooners not to go on group tours.
In conclusion, though tour groups may be good for some travelers such as older people, I do not think they are the best way to travel. To begin with, the travelers have very little control over the use of their time because group tour schedules are very inflexible. In addition, people traveling in a group get very little privacy. If you are looking for flexibility and privacy, it is better to travel on your own.



If you could travel back in time to meet a famous person from history,what person would you like to meet? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.
If I could travel back in time to meet a famous person, I would most like to meet and speak with Siddhartha Gautama: The Buddha. If by "enlightenment" one means a complete understanding of the universe, then Buddha, having achieved "enlightenment", would be fully capable of answering all questions relating to the origins, condition, and destiny of the universe.
Perhaps the first thing I would like to discuss, upon meeting Buddha, would be the events surrounding the birth of the universe. How and why did the universe come into being? Are contemporary physicists correct in assuming that all matter emerged spontaneously from a single point beyond time and space? The Big Bang! And does this theory compliment or contradict the theories of other great religious thinkers who claimed that all life emerged from a primordial source. The "void"
Following our discussion of the origins of the universe, I would like to ask Buddha a number of questions concerning the "human condition." Why are Mankind, the planet Earth and the universe structured the way they are? What is the purpose of life? Why does existence contain such drastic opposites: love and hate, good and evil, joy and suffering?
Having gained an understanding of both the universe and the human condition, I would then like to move on
to a discussion of Mankind's destiny. What is then ultimate fate of the universe, and in turn, life? Is it true, as some great thinkers have suggested, that the universe and everything in it return to the void from which it emerged? And what about God? Is God a personal entity, as some religions claim? Or is God the impersonal source of all that exists? The impersonal source of the void!
Throughout history, intelligent men and women have thought deeply about God, fate, destiny, and the origins of the universe. The opportunity to have these questions answered by one who lived in the not too distant past, would truly be a remarkable experience.


Many people have a close relationship with their pets. These people treat their birds, cats, or other animals as members of their family. Are such relationships good?
Everyone has normally had a pet at one point or another in their life. While some people may view their pets as nothing more than a toy that can be discarded at anytime, others believe that their pets are members of their family. I believe that pets are part of the family and should be treated as such because animals foster emotional development and help people's mental health.
First, pets encourage emotional development. As society becomes increasingly chaotic and global, people find it difficult to foster relationships. The lack of relationships will result in people feeling lonely at all hours of the day.
However, if someone has a pet, the attention they can give and get in return will ease their feelings of loneliness and isolation. A lack of interaction with other people will cause people to become less emotionally developed. Having a pet helps people not forget feelings of love, affection or other emotions. Pets prevent people from becoming emotionally distant and emotionless, still capable of having a relationship.
In addition, pets are good for people's mental health. These days, most people live hectic and chaotic lives, with little time to relax and relieve stress. A constant build up of stress can seriously affect someone's mental health. Knowing that a pet will be waiting at the door, almost smiling and saying welcome home can ease this mental burden. A hungry pet may follow an owner around as soon as they get home; even try opening the food cupboard. These actions will amuse the pet's owners, helping them relax and unwind by the humorous antics of a pet. For example, as soon as I get home from school my cat likes to sit on my shoulders and cry until I take him for a ride in the car. He enjoys it when I put the window down so he can put his head out, his tongue hanging out like a dog. The looks I get at stop lights when other drivers see a 20 pound cat sitting on my shoulders sticking his head out of the window and purring softly always makes me smile and forget about the stress of exams and studying.
In conclusion, many people through out the world do not realize the value of pets and treat them like toys. Pets are very important and should be treated like a member of the family since they foster emotional development and help people maintain balanced mental health. A pets love and antics ensure people are able to relate to the world and don't become emotionally distant.


People recognize a difference between children and adults. What events (experiences or ceremonies) make a person an adult? Use specific reasons and examples to explain your answer.
There are so many differences between children and adults, such as adults always make decisions independently, while children offten deal with things under the supervision of adults.Although it is a course that a child grows up and become an adult, I believe that many events play a significant role in it. Based on the experience and life style of my own, leaving parents and living alone is the event that turn a child into an adult.
The main reason of the argument I support is that living independently could develop the ability of thinking and doing independently. In family, parents always prepare everything and create a comfortable condition for children. Children at home are almostly carefree, and need not worry about cooking, washing, making cleanning, and the only thing they have to care of is study.However, when living in the dormitory of school, they have to begin to study how to deal with house work and how to get on alone with others. And it is more important that they have to think independently and make decisions like adults.
Another reason can be seen by everyone is that to live independently a child will have to face many problems which need courage and the capabilty to cope with. Without the help from parents, children will find there are so many unexcepted concrete troubles can not be resolved only by themselves. For example, when a freshmen move into dormitory, he or she have learn to change the light bulb, clean the house, how to get on well with roommate and so on. At this time, making friends and helping each other are very important for them to resolve the troubles.
In addition, the frustration and even the failure in life is very significant in the course of grouth. An experience, example, or observation impart benenficial new knowledge and wisdom. In the same way, a failure bring children lessons and make their thought and behavir mature and sense.
General speaking, living independently will develop the ability of dealing with things of children, test the courage of cope with difficulties of them, and bring them many lessons. Taking into account of all these factors, we may reach the conclusion that living by own make a child mature and wise , and turn a child into an adult.


Computer and their uses
Perhaps the single greatest invention of the century is the computer. The computer is essentially a machine that enables humans to complete tasks that may be time consuming or very repetitive in nature. This it achieves by imitating human thought processes. In much the same way that humans think using pathways in their brains that conduct minute electrical currents, computers too use tiny electrical circuits which tell it what to do. The difference being that computers do this at incredible speeds.
In this modern age man has grown to be heavily dependent on computers to carry out all kinds of jobs that were done manually before. In banking for example computers allow for millions of transactions to be carried out involving large sums of money which would otherwise require thousands of bank tellers. Computers do the job in a much shorter time and practically free of any errors. Computers are responsible for air traffic control and the running of trains to ensure that travel is made as smooth as possible. In factories nowadays computers operate mechanical devices that produce goods we require for everyday living, in such quantities that would be otherwise impossible to achieve if these factories were run by humans alone.
Perhaps the greatest advancements have been made in the field of communications. All of us are by now familiar with the 'Internet'. The internet is a collection of computer systems and individual terminals linked up worldwide through telephone lines and other channels. It offers a cheaper alternative to communicating with people within a country and internationally through computers. It has also been described as an immense pool of knowledge just waiting for applications it has given rise to a new means for countries to carry on trade with each other through 'E-Commerce'.
It must however be kept in mind that as useful as computers are. They are not capable of independent thought and still require human input. In recent times scientists have developed' Artificial Intelligence' in computers that may enable them to function independently of man in the future.


Where to Go on Vacation: The Beach or the City
It is a fact that not all the people have the opportunity to go on vacation. The ones who have the facilities like to go out of town once in a while in order to leave their worries behind. When we go on vacation, we have to decide the best place to go according to what we have in mind. The purpose of this essay is to contrast the differences between vacation at a beach or in a city. We will look at the kinds of activities, the clothing required and the pace of life available while vacationing on the beach or in the city.
The first major difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the kind of activities you are able to do. On the beach, for example, you can go sailing, fishing, surfing, skiing, or take advantage of the sun and lie in the sand to get tan, or even in some cases feed sharks and swim with dolphins. On the other hand, in a city you can visit different sites such as museums, theaters, important buildings, downtown, among other things. This means that you have many places to know and you will need much more time and organization in a city than on the beach.
Another difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the clothing and equipment you need to take with you. If you decide to go to the beach, you will have to take mainly a bathing suit, shorts, short-sleeve shirts, sandals, sunglasses, goggles, and sun block. Considering that you are going to the city where you will have to walk a lot, you will need comfortable and casual clothing such as jeans and tennis shoes. You will also have to take fancy clothes in case you want to go, for example, to watch a play or to a concert.
The final difference between vacationing on the beach or in a city is the pace of life. If you want a relaxing plan, your option will be the beach. When you are on the beach you just let things happen while in the city you will have to schedule all your activities in order to have time to visit the different sites you want to.
In conclusion, here you have these differences to consider when deciding where to go on vacation. Although both places are interesting and exciting, it all depends on what you are looking for. Keep in mind that wherever you decide to go you will enjoy it.


 If you could change one important thing about your hometown, what would you change? Use reasons and specific examples to support your answer.
 If I could change one thing about my hometown, I think it would be the fact that there's no sense of community here. People don't feel connected, they don't look out for each other, and they don't get to know their neighbors.
People come and go a lot here. They change jobs frequently and move on. This means that they don't put down roots in the community. They don't join community organizations and they're not willing to get involved in trying to improve the quality of life. If someone has a petition to put in a new street light, she has a very hard time getting a lot of people to sign. They don't feel it has anything to do with them. They don't get involved in improving the schools because they don't think the quality of education is important to their lives. They don't see the connection between themselves and the rest of their community.
People don't try to support others around them. They don't keep a friendly eyes on their children, or check in on older folks if they don't see them for a few days. They're not aware when people around them may be going through a hard time. For example, they may not know if a neighbor loses a loved one. There's not a lot of community support for individuals.
Neighbors don't get to know each other. Again, this is because people come and go within a few years. So when neighbors go on vacation, no one is keeping an eye on their house. No one is making sure nothing suspicious is going on there, like lights in the middle of the night. When neighbors' children are cutting across someone's lawn on their bikes, there's no friendly way of casually mentioning the problem. People immediately act as if it's a major property disagreement.
My hometown is a nice place to live in many ways, but it would be much nice if we had that sense of community.


 Progress is not possible without sacrifice
In order to reach the top of a mountain, one must train for years, then when ready toil for hours or days before reaching the top. This is true of many of life's worthwhile challenges. In fact it is often impossible to make progress without sacrifice.
One novel that strongly supports this theme is To Kill A Mockingbird. In this story Atticus Finch, a small town lawyer, defends a black man accused of raping a white woman. He does this despite being threatened and disparaged by members of his community. Because of his willingness to sacrifice his social standing to do the right but unconventional thing, Atticus was able to launch a brilliant defense of his client.
Ray Bradbury conveys a similar theme in his novel Fahrenheit 451. In this book, Guy Montag, a "fireman" charged with burning down the houses of book-lovers, sacrifices his wife, his career and his lifestyle in order to have books. Without his great sacrifice, Montag would have continued to live a half-life of boredom and unhappiness. And he never would have known the freedom of thinking and of being challenged intellectually.
Over a century ago another man, Charles Goodyear, was willing to make similarly large sacrifices in order to support his dream of making rubber useful for all mankind. Charles spent seventeen years of his life experimenting with rubber, borrowing money to finance projects, going broke repeatedly and nearly losing his wife and family before discovering the secret that made rubber useful--a process called vulcanization. Had Mr. Goodyear not been willing to make these sacrifices he would never have reached his goal and it might have been many more years before rubber was made useful to the world.
And the world needs the contribution of men and women willing to make these sacrifices, if progress is to continue. Our current social problems, which still include racism, need to be faced by people with social courage like Atticus Finch and Guy Montag. Our world continues to need new inventions to improve life such as that created by Charles Goodyear. We will never stop needing such brave individuals who help to make progress in the world.



 Reading fiction is more enjoyable than watching movies
Most people enjoy fictional stories whether in the form of novels or movies. There are some that think that reading fiction is more enjoyable than watching movies while others have the opposite view. In my opinion, I think that watching movies is a lot more fun because when we watch a movie, we use more of our senses and modern filmmaking technology provides a more exciting experience than novels. To begin with, when we watch movies, we are entertained by using several of our senses; sight, hearing and even touch. Reading a novel only requires sight. I enjoy reading, but watching a movie allows me to experience the story in more ways. For example, I really enjoy watching horror movies because of the effects on several of my senses. First of all, a horror movie is scarier than a horror novel because I can see what is going on with my own eyes. In addition, the scar music adds to the tense mood of the story, and can stimulate the sense of touch by making my hair stand up and by sending a chill down my spine. A movie can make us feel like we are actually there, so it can affect our senses much more than a novel can. Another reason why I prefer watching movies instead of reading fiction is because of the technological advancements that have been made in filmmaking. When people read a novel, they totally depend on their imagination to present the images in their mind. However, a movie can show us scenes that our minds might not be capable of visualizing. This is especially true with science fiction and fantasy movies. With advancements in technology, no concept is impossible to portray on film. We can see starships fighting in space, armies of monsters having a battle or people doing amazing acts of music. All these can be explained in books, but movies allow us to see and understand how big these events are through magnificent special effects. I love reading, but if I have to choose which is more enjoyable, I will have to choose watching movies. They stimulate and delight our senses, and modern filmmaking technology allows us to experience situations that we are incapable of visualizing in our minds. Reading fiction may be a good choice when we need a more quiet and intellectual form of entertainment, but for an exciting experience there is nothing like watching a good movie.



Why We Should Not Compare Ourselves with Others
In our culture a lot of times people advise us to compare ourselves with others.  "You should be like your father," "You can win; the others aren’t as good as you," "You must be the best of your class," etc., and this is not always the best way of thinking. There are many reasons to change this way of thinking and begin to compare ourselves only with ourselves. This is the way it should be, and in this paper I will discuss some of the most important reasons for this.
The first reason to avoid comparing yourself with others is that there will be always someone better than you. It doesn’t mater in which aspect, but it is always true. Therefore, you could feel inferior to others and maybe without a real reason. For example, you can be an incredible architect and the best of your generation, and this can make you feel incredibly good, but if someday someone is better than you are, you could feel sad although you are still the same incredible architect that you were before.
The second reason to elude this kind of comparison is that you will always find someone worse than you, but as opposed to the first reason, this can make you feel better than the others, and this feeling can turn into a horrible pride. For example, if you are the second best student of your class, and one day the very best student leaves the school, you will then be the best one although you are still only as good as you were before.
These two first reasons leads us to a third one: If you want to be better than the others, you don’t need to improve yourself; you only have to make the others look bad. If I want to be the leader of the group, but you are the leader now, what I need to do is to make you look like a traitor or stupid and then I can take your place. Then I will be better than you.
A fourth reason to stop comparing ourselves is that the one who compares him/herself with others is judging, and this doesn’t help us develop as human beings. Nobody knows the internal reality of the other; nobody knows his/her story and his/her most deep intentions, and when we judge it’s harder to accept the others.
The last but most important reason to avoid comparing ourselves with others is that when we do, we can be tempted to copy them, to do the same things, and to act and think like them. The problem with this is that if we copy someone, we will never know who we really are and what we really want, and then we will never grow spiritually.
For all these reasons and because we are unique, we should not compare ourselves with others, only with ourselves. The only comparison pattern that we really have is our consciousness. So, if we use this pattern we will not feel less or more than others; we will not try to make others look bad; we will not judge so much; and we will accept ourselves as we really are. In other words, we will live happier.


Why People Should Read for Pleasure
In the past years the use of the television and the internet has increased; this situation has caused many people to change their likes and the way that they enjoy their free time.  Because of television and the internet, many people spend less time reading, so the purpose for this essay is to present reasons why people should read just for pleasure.  The reasons that I give you are quite simple: to improve your knowledge, to expand your general culture, to have more fun, to make your imagination fly, to find new ways to express your ideas, and finally to expand your vocabulary.
The first reason that I give you to enjoy reading is that when you read, you can expand your knowledge and also your culture. There are a lot of good books in which you can find history, novels, tragedies, comedies and a variety of other themes. You can see that people who read more often frequently have a bigger knowledge of life and also a bigger perspective of their environment.  I think that fact gives them an advantage over all others who do not read frequently.
The second reason to read more often is that through books you can have fun and even travel in your imagination.  Children have not yet lost the ability of getting  into their dreams, and because of this, in their first years the parents read a lot of tales  in which they use their imagination. Adults should try to keep this ability, so we do not forget the importance of the use of the imagination. The imagination also represents a tool that could help you to develop your professional career in a creative way.
Finally, the third and the most important feature that reading offers you is that it does not matter the age that you have, you always could expand your vocabulary and the ways to express your ideas to the others in a simple and correct form. By the time you can improve the kind of books that you read, there are a lot of categories, so you will never stop learning from the pleasure of reading. People who know how to choose a book generally have the capability of choosing a formal book in which they can find formal grammatical structures and obviously a formal vocabulary.  All these things allow them to gain greater fluency in their communication.
In conclusion, I recommend that you enjoy reading more often. There are excellent reasons for doing it;  you just have to want to expand your knowledge and your culture, to improve your imagination and also your vocabulary. I know that we should evolve with the technology; that is, it is good to know how to navigate in the internet, but we must also not forget the books. Try to choose good books at the beginning, and then I ensure you that you never will stop reading.



Why You Should Not Smoke
I am sure that you know that smoking harms your body. Then why do you continue smoking? Maybe you do it because you haven’t really become conscious about all the effects that smoking has. There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn’t smoke. Some of them are that smoking affects your health, that you spend a lot of money on cigarettes, and that when you smoke you are not respecting people around you.
The first reason why you shouldn’t smoke is that smoking affects your health. If you smoke, your physical condition will be negatively affected, so it will be very difficult for you to succeed in sports. Also, smoking produces lethal diseases like cancer and reduces the length and quality of your life. Maybe you don’t notice all the physical effects of smoking immediately, but you surely will be sorry one day.
The second reason why you shouldn’t smoke is because of all the money that you spend on it. Maybe you start smoking only when someone offers you a cigarette, but there will be a day when you will feel the need of a cigarette. By this time, you will pay whatever to smoke, and each time you will smoke more, so you will spend more money. All the money you would spend on cigars could have be spent in something better, don’t you think?
The last reason why you shouldn’t smoke is out of respect for the people around you. When you smoke, you not only harm yourself, but you also harm all the people around you. So you mustn’t be selfish; you should at least avoid smoking in front of people who don’t smoke. Also, many people don’t like the cigarette’s smell, so they won’t enjoy your company. Would you like that?
I have said just some reasons of why you shouldn’t smoke, so I hope that now those of you who smoke are able to think a little and try to make a smart decision. In addition to all the reasons I’ve said, I would like you to think about how much you love yourself and then whether you want to continue harming yourself. Think also about all the people who love you, like your family who doesn’t want to see you suffering or sick. If you decide to continue smoking, what a pity. But if you decide to stop smoking, congratulations! Remember that "If you can dream it, you can do it."



“Many students in schools show a lack of interest and motivation in their studies. Discuss the reasons why they are academically uninterested.”
In every school, while there are hardworking students, there are also lazy students who are not interested in anything about school. They just come to school, sit at the back of the class, talk and disturb the others. There may be some reasons for such behavior such as family, peer influence and  financial problems.
The most common factor which influences the academic performance of students is family. If the parents are interested in how their child is doing at school, the student will be more interested in his lessons too. Educated parents generally show more interest in the academic performance of their children; however, this should be a practice common to all families not only to the educated ones. When the parents are not interested in the success or failure of their children, the child will not care about school or lessons, and will perform poorly.
In schools, the best-known students are the ones who do everything except for studying. They seem the coolest students at school and everybody admires their reputation. When the parents fail to show any interest in their children, they are likely to become one of those students who look cool but display no academic achievement. Because in these ages teenagers do not understand the importance of useful things, they do trivial things which seem really important among their peer group. Their only aim is to be well known at school and have a group. Studying lessons, then, is not one of the ways to become popular at school.
The most important factor for the lack of interest on part of a student is the financial situation of his family. There are some students, for example, who think even if they pass the university exam, their families will not be able to find the money needed for their education. Apart from this, some students have to work after school; as a result, they cannot concentrate on their studies. When the difficulty of the lessons is added to this list, school becomes a nightmare for these students.
It is possible to rescue these underachieving and academically uninterested students from this fate. The parents and the students themselves may be warned, or the government can give financial aid to these students. Maybe it is very difficult to completely solve this problem of student apathy and lack of motivation, but we can at least ameliorate it.



Do you agree with the following statement? Modern technology is creating a single world culture. Use specific reasons and examples to support your opinion.
Whether modern technology is creating a single world culture or not is a matter of some debate. While some people argue that technology has set many boundaries through out the world, others assert that technology is forming a culture that crosses previous boundaries and borders. Since various forms of media have allowed people of the world to become more familiar with each other as well as having the Internet facilitate communication around the globe, I believe that modern technology is in fact creating a single world culture.
First, technological advancements have created new forms of media and enable people to readily access information through out the world regarding every country on the planet. Previously, people around the world had very little knowledge of what was happening in other countries. The development of broadcast media such as the Internet helps users keep up with current events through out various countries. For example, a new ultra-mobile computer brought out in China may be advertised online and pique the interest of consumers in Canada. A previous lack of interest in such devices in Canada slowly begins to change, influenced by a popular cultural of another country. With such development of broadcast media, countries are blending products and customs creating a single world culture in the process.
Second, people are now able to freely communicate and exchange information through the Internet. While businesses had previously dealt only in domestic economies, the Internet allows business people to make contact with consumers and business people around the world with relative ease. Specifically, with e-commerce, the resulting increase in international business has people eager to learn about other cultures. Universities have expanded abroad with international campuses and also offer language training and exchange programs to benefit both their students and increase their revenue stream. Additionally, Internet based technology has allowed online users to readily meet people with common interests through websites such as Facebook or Cyworld. This free exchange of information is contributing towards a single world culture.
In summary, while there are some who do not agree that modern technology is creating a single world culture, I believe the opposite. People today live in a single world culture that is greatly influenced by the development of media such as the Internet. There has been an increasing amount of interaction between people of the world that is bound to continue as advancements occur in the future.







Everyone contributes to society in a variety of ways. For example, medical researchers develop cures for a variety of diseases, physicists develop faster microchips and engineers may develop more efficcient energy sources.



















Freedom
Freedom has many different meanings. The quality of being frank, open, or outspoken along with the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint are just some of the meanings of freedom. The quality of being exempt or released from something is also another definition of freedom. As much as freedom is considered to be a good thing it also has bad qualities that can accompany it.
As young children grow, they want to have more freedom as they get older. They want to have that sense of independence. They want to show off their abilities to survive on their own. At age sixteen many teens are given their first real opportunity of freedom. They are given a driver's license. This is the teen's chance to show that they are responsible enough to be given freedom. As they grow up they are given many more opportunities to have freedom, they are given later curfews, and he or she can go and come as they please. When they reach the time of graduation and get ready for college many chances at freedoms are given, such as a chance for him or her to live out on their own, a chance to support themselves, and are given more of a opportunity to show the world what they are all about. However, along with this freedom they are given, many problems can happen. The individual can totally ruin all of these opportunities by not maintaining a good standard of living or by not holding their responsibilities. As all of this freedom is bestowed upon the individual, there is also much responsibility. It seems logical to say then that when freedom is present, there also must be responsibility present. These students that have graduated and are off to college have a great deal of freedom in their lives and need to keep an upper hand on all of their duties and responsibilities. Because disaster can strike if the student takes advantage of the freedom that they are given. Students find it easy to take advantage of their freedom. The student has no parent yelling at them to get out of bed and get to school, they have no parent telling them to get their homework done, and they do not have a parent there to tell them to eat a healthy dinner. As much as many students like having all this freedom, they do not want too much of it. When they have lots of freedom, that means that they also have much responsibility. Students are responsible for many items that go hand in hand with their newfound freedom.
Such as getting a job, keeping up on their studies, maintaining a healthy way of living, along with staying out of trouble. Students want to have all the freedom that they can be given, but they do not want the responsibility that accompanies this freedom. With there the absence of necessity, coercion, and restraint, when freedom is given, a great deal of responsibility is also given. Responsibility is a requirement to have freedom, is a logical thing to say.