ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

IS PROGRESS ALWAYS GOOD?

Is progress always good? Scientific progress brings us many conveniences and advanced machines, such as computers, automobiles, and so on. Progress seems to have made life simpler and more comfortable. But if we analyze it carefully, we will find that progress is not always good.
Modern industry brings us many conveniences. But at the same time, some problems emerge. For example, "the green-house effect" is a very serious problem that scientists try to solve. It increases the earth's temperature, causes icebergs to melt and the ocean level to become higher and higher. Maybe someday the oceans will swallow some big cities nearby them.
Progress enhances the efficiency of industrial production, but it also brings us another serious problem -pollution. Pollution in some countries is so serious that ecological balance is damaged and many animals and plants lose their living environment and become extinct eventually. The air is polluted and it is not suitable for people. The water is also polluted and people are facing deficiency of drinking water.
Progress makes the pace of life faster and faster because of the application of computers and automatic machines. People have to work faster than before and it makes them nervous. More and more physical and psychological problems disturb people's life. Many people do not have time for recreation.
From the above statements, it can be concluded that progress is not always good. It has its own negative influences on our life. Let hope those problems can be solved by more progress.

IS PROGRESS ALWAYS GOOD?

With the evolution of civilization over the past several thousand years, man has made tremendous progress in all aspects of human society. While enjoying all the convenience and happiness brought about by this progress, we cannot deny that it has also caused severe problems. Scientific advance is always praised and extolled by many as the most essential cause of social development.
However, we shall not forget that on the other hand, major scientific inventions and technical advancement sometimes also form big threats to human society. The two world wars happened during the past century witnessed the blood shedding battles that cost millions of lives. Weapons made with modern technology have brought about such large casualties and devastations that could never been done by people in the previous time. Environmental problems have attracted more and more attention of the people around the world. With the development of modern industry and farming, global environment has kept deteriorating. Scientific researches indicate that the green house effect has contributed to the warming of the earth.
We live in a much worse surrounding than our ancestors: polluted air and water, extreme high temperatures in summer, etc. which are all harmful to our health. The world now is undergoing a globalization process that has caused divided opinions among different people. I think we should be highly aware of some of the problems it may cause. For instance, globalization would eliminate the differences between different people. The languages and unique customs of some ethnic nations are on the verge of extinction.
What a world would be if we see people everywhere speak the same language, wear similar clothes, live in houses of the similar styles, and use the same brand of products? We do benefit a lot from the progress of human civilization, but we must pay closer attention and be highly alert of the problems it brings about. Progress is not always good if we neglect its side effects.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA


WHAT CHANGE SHOULD BE REMEMBERED?

The past 20th century has been a century of advances and developments: the emergence of the Internet and web technology. When I think of the 21st century, I am afraid to say that nothing but only bad come to my mind: overspreading epidemics, increasing religion conflicts and resources overusing.
The first thing that has hit my head is the overspreading diseases which modern medicine has nothing to overcome. For example, in Asia, there were hundreds of people who had a new disease called "SARS", a killer responsible for over one hundred people. In Hong Kong and Vietnam, the bird flu infected large numbers of poultry and caused children's death. In the United States, the west-Niles virus is feared among public since it transmits through mosquitoes. All of these diseases are new to human because of their rare genetic structure. Such diseases challenge modern medicine. However, there are only prevention but not cure.
Another thing that on everyday news is the religion-related terrorists activities. Even now the American-Iraq war has been tensioned in spite of the last's cease¬fire. Some people say that this is a war between Christianity and Islamic, others insist that this a war aimed to oil power. As a result, innocent children and the public are sacrificed for those so-called "cause", meaning justice or security. It is hard for me to understand that how much human being have involved from animals, if we can only use force in this high technology time.
The last but not least thing that occurs to me is the concern of natural resources. Despite the fact that we are running out of available natural resources such as clean water, oil, and natural gas, our life is becoming more and more convenient, which means we will consume more energy than ever. This is also a vital problem for human's existing.
For the three factors I have mentioned above, I believe that there are some changes in this century, although I doubt whether those changes will lead us to happier future than now.

WHAT CHANGE SHOULD BE REMEMBERED?

Which invention was the greatest invention of the 20th century has been discussed many times. Different people have different views. Some think the greatest invention was television; some think it should be cars. But as far as I am concerned, the greatest invention of the 20th century would be computers. The reasons for my opinion are as follows.
First of all, computers save a great deal of efforts people spend on calculating. Before computers were invented, people had to calculate manually. Sometimes it took scientists weeks, even months to have a result. Of course, they might make mistakes during their calculation. That affected the accuracy of data. But with the help of computers, people are freed from heavy calculation. If only takes seconds to have a result which used to take weeks in the past.
Second, computers can simulate different environments that cannot be created in real life. In the science research, sometimes scientist need to have a simulation environment to improve their theories or as a basis of further research. Without computers it's difficult to have accurate and reliable results. But computers can make everything easy. Just input programs and data everything will be done.
The reason I think is becoming more and more important nowadays. That is computer is the way of access to the Internet. The Internet was developed based on the local area network (LAN) of computers. Today, the Internet has become the fastest developing medium in the world. You can find almost everything you need on the Internet, communicate with friends, read news, watch movies, listen to music etc. But you must do all the above things on a computer. Cannot log in the Internet means behind times today.
Although many other inventions of the 20th century brought great convenience to human or changed people's lives, computers have the most valuable contribution to human, and it will have much more contribution in the future.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

With the development of technology, there have been a lot of changes to our life. Admittedly, some of these changes are bad, causing many environmental and social problems. However, most of these changes contribute to making our life more convenient, more comfortable and more wonderful.
First of all, due to the improvement of technology, people can enjoy more conveniences than ever. For example, it only takes travelers or businessmen several hours to go to another countries by jet planes, which makes the world seem to be much smaller. With the help of the Internet, people at different corners of the world can communicate with each other at a significantly high speed and low cost. It is technology that has cleared away the barriers that once prevented people from leading a convenient life.
Secondly, technology has made our life as comfortable as we can imagine. Sitting in air-conditioned rooms, people do not have to suffer the extremely cold or hot weather any more. Whatever vegetable or fruit we want to eat, we can always find it in a supermarket regardless of the season. We can also go to work in a place far away from our homes by using automobiles or public transportation tools.
In addition, technology provides us many choices to spend our spare time. Listening to music by using an MD, MP3 or Walkman, surfing the Internet or watching digital movies, all of these entertainments make our life wonderful.
In conclusion, although technology has brought about some problems, such as air pollution caused by increasing number of automobiles, and ethnic problems caused by cloning human beings, the benefits of technology far outweigh its bad influences. So it is safe to say that technology has made the world a better place to live.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

A great many achievements have been accomplished in recent decades in almost every area of technology, such as in computer science, manufacture, and medicine. But there have always existed two opposite attitudes towards technological development. Some people agree that these new technologies have made the world a better place to live, while others hold the opinion that technology has caused many problems to the world. As far as I am concerned, I agree with the first opinion that our world is becoming better for living with technology progress. Several persuasive reasons go as follow.
Firstly, technology developments have greatly improved people's living conditions, making our life more convenient and efficient. We have elevators taking us to the top of a skyscraper in just a few seconds; we have air conditioners to keep the indoor temperature comfortable; and we even have household robots now to help to take care of the trivial housework.
Secondly, technology developments have also made communications much easier, and thus helped to enhance relationships among people. The wide use of pagers, mobile phones, and wireless Internet has greatly facilitated the way of daily communication. They can bring people so close even though they may actually be thousands of miles apart.
Thirdly, developments in technology can provide better medical access to make people live a healthier and happier life. By taking advantages of the most recent developments in biotechnology, such as genetic engineering, I am convinced that people will have a promising prospect in treating all kinds of human diseases, including AIDS and SARS.
It is true that technological developments have also brought some serious problems. One of them is that some technological developments have done harm to the environment. For example, too much emission of waste gases, mainly carbon dioxide, has increased the global temperature significantly. However, people can reduce and finally eliminate these harmful effects by improving the technology itself or finding a more advanced and reliable technology.
I believe that with the new technologies appropriately adopted for good purposes, our world would be made an even better place to live.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Since the end of the last century, when technology started to make a full impact, debates have sprung up among people worldwide as to whether this technology has made the world a better place to live or not. In my perspective, the new developments have indeed improved our lives.
One striking example of how Man's new inventions have helped us to lead a better life is the whole set of time-saving electrical appliances and tools, ranging from washing machines to microwave ovens. No longer do we need to go down to the river to wash our clothes on rocks or to heat our food with wood and charcoal for never-ending hours. Nowadays, our daily chores are merely simple tasks, needing only very little efforts on our part. It is the machines that do all the boring and tiring work.
Consequently, we are left with much more leisure time to spend at our free will. Technology has exerted a great influence on the ways people relax themselves today. It has transformed our previously boring leisure time into long hours of excitement, enjoyment and fun. For instance, nobody can deny that video, computer and PlayStation games have added spice to our lives, especially those of children. The home cinema, recently available on the market, has made many happy families around the world.
Technology has not done good deeds only in those areas. It has gone even further by improving considerably communication among countries. Owing to new technology such as the Internet, fax and mobile phones, barriers among nations have started to disappearing, thus turning the world into a 'global village'. In our modern era, it is even possible to be living in a poor country while studying with the top professors in England via the Web by enrolling in an online degree.
We have therefore seen how technology has made the world a better place to live in some ways. However, just as the English proverb goes, "Every coin has two sides", technology has also had a few negative effects on our society. Thus, the same timesaving devices that save us so much trouble have quickened so much the pace of life. Nowadays everyone is stressed and is always preoccupied. Moreover, overexposure to video games and the television has been proved to be harmful to people's health, creating eye and back problems. In addition, new technology like the Internet has allowed the brewing of new types of crime and criminals such as hackers and viruses.
In today's world, technology is having a deep influence on the way people do things. But the issue of whether this technology has made the world a better place to live in will continue to be a controversial topic.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Being modern human beings, people nowadays have enjoyed so much from the highly developed technology. The improvements of technology have changed people's life styles significantly. Admittedly, sometimes, technology worsens the condition. However, compared to its advantages, the bad impacts are so tiny.
In the modern world, we lead a much better life than our ancestors. We no longer need to be on guard all day to prevent us from being attacked by wild animals; we no longer live in rock caves which are dangerous and not comfortable; we can no longer put all of our hope to the God to pray a mild weather which will bring us a harvest. We can utilize technology to increase the quality and quantity of plants. Moreover, modern technology of medical treatment helps us cure the number of terrible diseases that will deprive the life of human.
Besides, technology provides us many unimaginable tools that benefit our life. We can travel from one place to another by plane only in few hours, while it would take our ancestors several months or even years in the ancient time. We use computer and robot to help us with hard and routine works. Computers also improve the efficiency of our work.
However, technology not only brings us gold but also rubbish. Pollution is one of the most terrible problems. The excess use of technology brings disasters to people and the world. The rivers and oceans are not as clear as before; the wild animals are disappearing. In order to save the world and also ourselves, people should limit their demand from nature and use technology in a sustainable way.
All in all, technology itself is neutral thing. Whether it will benefit people or do harm to people depends on the people who use it. Fortunately, most of the time we have utilized technology in the right way, therefore, the technology benefit our life much more than its harm.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Standing at the turn of the new century, we observe the twentieth century as a great advance in technology. With those advances, human lives have changed dramatically. In some ways, life is worse, but mostly, it is better. So personally speaking, I am, and probably will always be, one of those who agree with the idea that technology has made the world a better place to live.
First of all, technology has brought with it a more comfortable life. Not only do we use air-conditioners and heating systems during summer and winter, but also do we experience many changes in food preparation methods to prepare delicious food. Due to the development of architectural technology, our living conditions are greatly improved.
Besides, traveling and communication are much more convenient nowadays. We can travel around by airplanes and railway networks. We can talk to each other through telephones. Twenty years ago, it was a dream that we could obtain information as well as shopping via the Internet.
The last but not the least, through the process of technology improvement, people begin to realize the fact that only reconciling with the nature can we maintain a sustainable development. That is why we today pay so much attention to environmental protection. Many factories have achieved economic growth without polluting the environment by utilizing certain new technology.
Instances of the same sort can be multiplied indefinitely. When taking into account all these merits we may safely arrive at the conclusion that advantages of technology outweigh any disadvantages it may bring to our lives. Though I must admit that people sometimes invent some things that threaten the lives of themselves, no one can ignore the additional conveniences and satisfaction offered by technology, and just with such experiences the human being forge ahead swiftly to the future.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Many people take the view that technology has made the world a better place to live. As far as I am concerned, I share the common view with them. Because I could pick up examples here and there around us and I would here explore a few of the most important ones.
The main reason is that if we look around, we may find that technology makes for us a better place to live. Take our house for example, without architectural technology, we could only live in the open wild. Thanks for those architects and engineers, we can live in a warm comfort house that protects us not only from the rain and wind, but also from the coldness of the winter, and the hotness of the summer.
Another reason is that we could communicate with our relatives or friends without the need of meeting them face-to-face. Information technology helps us a lot in communication. For instance, telephones and cellular phones help us talk with others no matter where they are; computer networks connecting the whole world offer us another alternative of communication. By email, our messages can reach the destination in just a few seconds.
Furthermore, transportation technology realizes the dream of people who want to travel around the world or to the space. We all can imagine that without car, bus or bicycles, how could most of us manage to get to work everyday?
In a word, technology has changed the world in a better way for us to live in terms of housing, communication, transportation and many other aspects. Taking into account of all factors mentioned above, we might reach the conclusion that technology has made the world a better place to live.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

HAVE HUMANS HARMED THE EARTH OR MADE IT A BETTER PLACE?

The Earth 'our home' is a planet with a wide range of inhabitants. This diversity helps to maintain the balance of the life cycle on the Earth. We humans have a key role to play in maintaining this ecological system. But today, even amidst the huge cry from environmentalists, we seldom recognize the importance of the environment. Some of the changes on the Earth like deforestation are a result of industrial and automobile emissions and nuclear activities. They bear testimony to our negligence towards the environment.
Right from our school education we have been taught about the key role played by the forests in maintaining the ecological balance. Forests attribute to release of oxygen and absorb the toxic carbon dioxide exhaled by the humans. Thus the forests act as the natural recycling agents balancing the life on this planet. Deforestation has been taking place for many reasons like manufacture of paper from wood pulp and timber, and for inhabitation by humans. If this trend continues there is no doubt that in the years to come the Earth will become a dry planet.
If deforestation is plundering the gift of God, the pollution of environment by automobile and nuclear emissions is a man made menace. Metropolitan cities have been so congested that we are getting used to everyday traffic snarls. Though there has been a worldwide awareness in controlling the automobile emissions in terms of imposing the emission norms on the automobile manufacturers, there is still much left to be done. One step could be to impose the law, to get the vehicle owners check their vehicles for emission norms, once in six months and obtain a valid test certificate.
No one can deny the fact that nuclear emissions are more vulnerable to damage the environment than any thing else. But we are always at the threat of a nuke war, despite the strong efforts of the international organizations like UN. It is a pity that most of the governing nations of the Un are the major threats with nuclear weapons.
Not but not least, the knowledge and the responsibility of safeguarding the environment is seldom seen in the individuals. The fact that all of us have been taught about the importance of environment in our education system makes no difference. The governments should organize more effective campaigns to educate everyone across all demographic levels. Only a socially responsible citizen can make a difference towards the environment our descendents have to live in.
Though I feel that with all above references, we humans damage the earth, I feel that I have dealt superficially some of the solutions that help to make the earth a better place to live. Let us hope that in the coming years future generations become socially responsible in safeguarding the earth. After all, we have just one planet (right now!) to live in.

HAVE HUMANS HARMED THE EARTH OR MADE IT A BETTER PLACE?

Some people believe that the Earth is being harmed by human activity. Others feel that human activity makes the Earth a better place to live. In my opinion, human activity is damaging the Earth. There are many reasons for my perspective as follows.
First, human activity causes many kinds of animals and plants to disappear. Today many species of living beings died out or near died out. We only can see some animals in the zoo because in nature they have disappeared. Human beings have been using their brains and machines to remake nature for many thousands of years. We use the habitats of animals and plants. We eat their food and eat them as food. Because animals and plants cannot grow fast to satisfy human beings, we cannot see them today. If some animals are dangerous to us, we kill them with our weapons. If meats of some animals are delicious, we eat them. No animals can copy with human being.
Secondly, human beings cause pollution to the Earth. I remember when I was young; I drank water from the river and stream. Today we can only drink bottled water bought from the market, because natural water is polluted by human activities. Air in some countries is polluted very badly, so many people died of lung cancer. I saw some reports that says in London people could not see each other clearly in a short distance in the morning because of much smoke and fog.
Finally, population on the Earth exacerbate rapidly. Human beings need more food and shelters because of increased population. More food and houses mean more needs from the Earth. Thus people need to cut more trees to build houses. People need to plant more vegetables and feed more cattle, so they demand more lands from the nature. Thus people are destroying more forests and natural lands. The living beings are losing their habitats.
Take into account of all factors I think the earth is being harmed by human activity. Today we cannot breathe fresh air and drink natural water. We have not enough places to live. We worry about our health because of pollution.

HAVE HUMANS HARMED THE EARTH OR MADE IT A BETTER PLACE?

When it comes to what human activity made the Earth, tradition has human activity that damaged the Earth. Nevertheless, although human activity has caused some damage to the earth, our Earth has certainly been turned into a much more beautiful world than it was centuries ago.
First of all, due to the development of human productivity made possible by science and technology, we now enjoy living conditions that our ancestors could never dreamed of. Nowadays, we use machine to plant crops, use synthetic fodder to feed livestock, use water conservancy project to generate electric power and so on. In term of substantive level, no other reasons in my decision is more crucial than the one above.
Furthermore, the use of machines has greatly improved our working conditions, enabling us to enjoy more leisure and entertainment. Tape recorder's invention serves as a typical example. They are small and have well sound quality. We can take it everywhere with us and the tape recorder has a valuable argument that it enabled me to listen to my favorite music wherever I want in a variety of different formats.
Of course, it should be admitted that human activity has resulted in the environmental crisis, which I believe we could overcome with the help of science and technology. The majority holds the opinion that human activity carries lots of pollution, which made the air quality worse, and endangered species increases everyday. On the surface, these seem to be terrible. However, people are taking a fresh look at it that they can be improved sooner because of science and technology development.
In short, human activity makes the Earth develop. It is difficult to imagine how the world will be without human activity. Similarly, a person who does not use machine in peacetime that cannot get anything done. Therefore, after pondering this question on many occasions, I believe that human activity makes the Earth better and beautiful and a great place to live!

HAVE HUMANS HARMED THE EARTH OR MADE IT A BETTER PLACE?

People have learned how to turn wild natural areas to farm land, how to exploit minerals to adapt their needs, how to build roads and houses to expand their territories. People continuously improve their knowledge and develop technologies to improve their lives. It is undeniable that these activities of human beings make their lives better than ever before. Nevertheless, those activities also cause side-effects to the Earth because of pollution, deforestation, and exaggerated natural resource exploitation.
Nowadays, pollution becomes one of the most concerned problems. Because of the increasingly expanded factories, the industrialized areas, the burning of population etc, too much pollutant spills out everyday. Consequently, all of these things cause bad effect to the Earth. The purity of atmosphere is reduced seriously, the Earth is continuously warmed up, and ozone layer is holed.
Additionally, forest is asking for help in desperation. For last few decades, the forest areas have been reduced to 50 percent because of human deforestation. Green forestland of the Earth can be compared to the lungs of human. How healthy you are if their your lungs are trespassed. I am sure that you will get more difficult with aspiration; as a result, your health will be affect badly. From this example, we can infer that how serious problem our Earth has to face with. I wonder how long it can endure.
Researchers show that the natural means is limited, but today, they are exploited so increasingly to adapt infinite human needs that someday, all mineral can be ended up. Because of serious pollution, alarming deforestation and progressive mineral exploitation, the ecosystem becomes unbalance. Consequently a lot natural calamities happen each year such as flood, hurricanes. A lot wild living creatures are exposed to narrow place of shelter and lacking foods. For these reasons, the Earth will become unhealthy.
In conclusion, the human beings harm the Earth. Human beings as well as their dear planet, the Earth, have been badly suffered by what caused by humans themselves. I hope that humans are soon aware of those problems so that they can have suitable policies in order to not only improve their lives but also keep and maintain the Earth fresh and green.

HAVE HUMANS HARMED THE EARTH OR MADE IT A BETTER PLACE?

Although the quality of life has improved over the past decades due to new technological advances but the damages made to the earth weigh more. Damages include increase in pollution and change in climatic patterns. Irreversible damage to earth can include depletion of natural resources.
As the technology advances more factories are built. These factories dispose waste material into natural water, which could be harmful to aquatic life. Emissions from the factories and automobiles pollute the air, which we breathe. Nuclear waste and radiation from power plants are harmful to our health.
There can be drastic changes in the climatic pattern due to the increase in the carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere, which is the main cause of global warming. Global warming would increase the temperature of earth and make it inhospitable. We are cutting more and more trees for furniture's, and wood. Trees purify the atmosphere by absorbing the carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and releasing the oxygen. Furthermore, the roots of tree hold the soil and prevent floods.
Resources of petroleum, oil, and minerals are not endless. There is shortage of water all over the world. Once depleted of these resources, our life would be difficult. Killing elephants for their teeth, and other species for their furs disrupt the food chain. For example killing of carnivorous animals would cause increase in the number of herbivores, which would consume more plants. We also depend on plants for food so there can be shortage of vegetables and cereals for us.
We should preserve the earth and respect all its valuable resources. Pollution and climatic changes can make earth inhospitable. Our future would not be good without sustainable development.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY OR BASIC NEEDS?

Some people think that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing computer technology or buying computers, while others think that governments should spend money on the basic needs of their people. As far as I am concerned, this money should be spent on some more basic needs, such as protecting the environment and improving public services.
In the first place, pollution of the environment has become the biggest problem in today's society. People will not find clean water to drink if they do not do some work to keep the water clean. There would be no fresh air if every one in the city drives a car to work. More and more wild animals are facing the danger of extinction because of the shortage of habitats. There would be no more wild animals if people continue to destroy forests. Therefore, there are more basic things that governments should do such as keeping the water clean, keeping the air fresh, and keeping the forests intact.
In the second place, there are many problems with the public transportation system in big cities. The buses during the rush hour are overcrowded; some people cannot get to work on time because they spent too much time on the buses or trains. Consequently, government should spend more money to improve public transportation systems, which will benefit the people and the business in their cities.
From what I have discussed above, everyone can see that there are more things a government should do than buying computers, such as protecting the environment and improving public services. Therefore, I think governments should spend more money on the basic needs of the people instead of spending a lot of money developing computer technology or buying computers.

COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY OR BASIC NEEDS?

Many people believe that governments should spend as much money as possible on developing or buying computer technologies, while others think that governments should spend money on more basic needs. While both spending on computer technologies and on basic needs of the society are important, I think that government should concentrate on the latter. Computer technologies are not very good investments from the point of view of society as a whole, while investments in essentials have a much higher rate of return.
Investment in areas related to computer software, networks and hardware are not very profitable and will not improve life of ordinary citizens. Several years ago many people believed that by investing in computer-related fields we can improve performance across the board, but the reality has not been what we have thought about. Most of Internet companies and dot-coms went bankrupt. Although huge money was poured into those companies, many of them cannot stay in business anymore. The promise of improved performance has never come true.
Even in the United States, the most powerful and prosperous country in the world, there are still more than 20 million people who live below the poverty line. More than third of the earth population live on less than one dollar a day -the official threshold of poverty declared by United Nations. We can greatly improve the life of those people by investing in public education, organizing loan agencies or other projects that can help to alleviate poverty. What's more, computers can actually make this problem worse, because with the application of computer technology, more and more people are losing their jobs - thus making most of the world's uneducated population obsolete and without means to sustain themselves.
Analysts expect that in several decades more than third of the population on the Earth will not have access to clean water. This can result in famine, deteriorate public health and other disasters. Some argue that we might have wars for the access to clean water. To prevent this scenario we need to invest a large amount of money in projects that will help to save clean water on our planet.
In conclusion I want to say, that investments in computers will not solve a single problem of our society. Computers will not prevent famines, which are so usual today, or help poor people. On the contrary, computers can make poor blue-collar workers out of work and money to support their families. So governments around the world should spend all available money on basic necessities of our society, not on some dream projects.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

COMPUTERS VS. TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS

With the knowledge explosion, many ways of education will be offered to students. In the future, students may choose to study at home by using technology such as computers or televisions, or choose to study at traditional schools. In my opinion, the former is a better choice.
In the first place, students can adopt an individualized and effective way of study by using high technology at home. Traditional schools make schedules according an average student's needs. Although they concern the demands of the majority, their schedules are not the just fit ones for many students. But using technology such as computers or televisions, a student can make the class schedule of his or her own, concerning personal ability, recent health condition and so on. In traditional schools, it is impossible that a teacher lecture you the same lesson twice at your own convenience. By using technology, students can review some lessons easily to get better understanding of some courses.
In the second place, studying at home by using technology can save much space and resources. The more quickly the society develops, the larger the quantity of people who need to go to school. The fast growing industry and service facilities have already made our world a crowded one. If we use traditional schools as we do now, the places that education facilities occupy, of course, will become another contributor to the crisis. On the contrary, studying at home by using technology will not only save more place, but also can release the places they are now occupying.
Maybe some people will put forward a doubtful point about studying at home using technology, that whether the students can be self-disciplined. I am sure that some measures can be taken about some of the disadvantages of learning at home. In conclusion, studying at home is an ideal choice. I hope we can see the new type of education in the near future.


COMPUTERS VS. TRADITIONAL SCHOOLS

Different persons will have different opinions about studying at home or studying at school. I will prefer to go to traditional schools because schools provide disciplined learning, experienced teachers and good facilities.
Although learning from computer and television is comfortable, it is void of disciplined learning environment provided by schools. Schools provide balanced atmosphere where each subject is given equal importance and is taught on a regular basis. This leads to an overall development of children. This discipline is absent in learning through computers and televisions at home. We are inclined to subjects which appeal us. Some children finds art and crafts as interesting and devote most of their time in them, while others find math and science more interesting and avoid reading books on social sciences. This erratic and unbalanced reading inhibits overall development. Moreover children are too young to decide what they should learn or should not. At this situation schools prove to be beneficial where teachers knows their students and give individual attentions to improve their skills.
Not everybody can afford the best equipments and technology available in the market. At this juncture schools provide best-experienced teachers and best facilities available. Schools invest on these instruments that students can use while it is difficult to buy each and every piece individually by yourself if you are learning at home. Also there are instances where students are required constant vigilance. For example while performing experiments in chemistry, which involves lots of dangerous chemicals, an experienced adult such as a teacher or a lab technician must present. In these labs children are in habit of messing with things. They try to experiment mixing every solution they can find. So regular vigilance is required on each student. Similarly while doing dissection of rats in biology labs, from time-to-time guidance is required by students to understand and complete the experiments successfully. No television or computer can give such attention to each individual.
While studying at school, children get to know each other. They learn to work in team when they are given group assignment. They learn to distribute tasks among themselves according their strong points and complete their tasks. Therefore a feeling of compassion is developed among them, which is not possible in television learning.
Keeping all these benefits in mind, I would like to go to a traditional school for my learning.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

WHAT CHANGES WILL THE 21ST CENTURY BRING?

About a decade ago, people were eagerly looking forward to ushering the new century-the 21st century with the hope of seeing a fresh beginning of human civilization. There is no denying that with the development of the IT industry and numerous other industries, people's life is getting more and more convenient. However, I have to act as a wet blanket here, unwilling though I am, to point out that the blind "progressiveness" of human beings have caused an irretrievable disaster that is revealing its monstrous face in the new century.
The first sign of damaged nature appeared much earlier without being noticed by us. As a result, nature continues to be abused. My grandmother lives in the countryside. Years ago, when I was still a little girl, there was endless woods and crystal clear streams and rivers there, but now, what you can possibly find are chopped down wasteland and yellow-colored brooks. The environment is deteriorating in spite of a few people's awareness of the danger.
Consequently, the deteriorated environment breeds a far more moody climate than before. My hometown is a beautiful seaside city. Living here for more than two decades, I didn't see any sandstorm until this spring. I could hardly breathe or see things clearly in the yellowish air. I was in shock. Another example comes from a city afar near the Mediterranean. Floods devastate the summerhouses along the coast, aborting people's plans for the summer and causing enormous damage to the economy of those countries.
Therefore, I want to say when you are surfing on line, browsing the messages sent through your cell phones and busy in doing biotechnological experiments, do not be overwhelmed by the benefits of the new century, instead, you should think more about how to protect the environment and thus improve the climate, which is indeed the biggest change brought by the new century.

WHAT CHANGES WILL THE 21ST CENTURY BRING?

With the advent of the 21st century, the world is facing many changes. There are incredible advancements in science and technology fields. In my point of view, these breakthroughs will bring more conveniences to people and make our life easier.
First of all, one of the most significant changes is the use of computers and robots. Using of such computers and robots in industries can bring an increase in output and accuracy. Also, these computer parts and robots are being made so tiny that they can be built into both personal and industrial equipments.
Moreover, there will be more innovations, inventions and researches in different areas of science and technology, such as more advanced telecommunication with a new generation of satellites, faster means of transportations, newer engines for planes, and quicker diagnosis of diseases by using advanced auto analyzers.
On the other hand, a few disadvantages such as air and water pollution, decreasing of natural resources cannot be underestimated. Although these negative aspects are almost negligible in comparison with great advancements of this new century, most scientists believe that these negative effects are not overrated.
In conclusion, it can be concluded that not only does the new century brings us many great advantages, but also it brings a few disadvantages in which people have to deal with.

WHAT CHANGES WILL THE 21ST CENTURY BRING?

The 21st century has just begun. Upon the question "what changes the new century will bring," different people have different opinions. Some may believe that the new century will bring us more awareness on security issues. As far as I am concerned, I agree with this point of view. I believe that safety and security are more and more important for our day-to-day life in this new century. In the following I will try to make my position clearer.
One of the most significant events at the beginning of the new century is the "9/11" attack. The terrorists launched an attack to the United States, causing lost of lives and huge damage to the world's economy. Since the "9/11", there has been more and more worries and consciousness about the security issues in our life than ever before. For instance, when we travel abroad, we have to pass intensive security-checks at airports and borders. The waiting time at those places are much longer than ever before. In addition, nations have to invest greater amount of money to improve the security measurements during international events such as the Olympic Games, in order to protect personal safety of officials, reporters, athletes and audiences from around the world. Moreover, everyday we can hear from the news that some terrorists' attacks and wars are happening somewhere in the world.
The world has become a dangerous place. As a result, more and more people nowadays prefer to spend their holidays at home. In a TV show, "Faith POPCORN- Report", when people are being asked opinions about their homes, they say "my home is my castle". It is even said that it is more secure to live in the wilderness than in the city, due to the fact of crime, drugs and environmental pollutions.
Security issues has changed our lifestyle dramatically. Life will quickly become different for all of us. Therefore it will be more important to reinforce our safety in the new century.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

HAS THE INTERNET PROVIDED A LOT OF VALUABLE INFORMATION?

The Internet...is it a boon or a curse? This is a very debatable topic. We would need to look at the pros and cons of it and then draw conclusions. Even then it would not be possible to totally answer yes or no to the question. It would depend upon individual personalities as well as the situation that we are in. In my opinion, the Internet is definitely a valuable source of information, but as with all forms of technology one must know how to make the best use of it.
Let's step back a few years from now. We were totally dependent on books, the experience of other people or data stored in other forms for getting information of any sort. The problems with those kind of information sources is that it is time consuming, inconvenient and often times even misleading. The concept of weeding out data from old reports and books was a time consuming and painful process and would itself deter people from trying to get new information.
But today with a touch of a button we can get any information available, sitting in the comfort of our homes. We are more knowledgeable and aware of things happening around us. Technology has given us the greatest power at our fingertips...the power of knowledge!
Lets take an example. Suppose someone wants to start off a business venture. He can get all information regarding other companies in the same line of business, he can do a cost benefit analysis, gather corroborating data, make new contacts, and so on, thanks to the internet. He is now well informed. If he has to discuss this with other potential partners he is armed with a wealth of information.
On the other hand the Internet does supply an overload of information. Hence if you give a topic in a search engine such as Google, you will get a number of sites that would cater to the information required. Now if one were unable to decide what information to cull out and what to leave, it would be a painful experience rather than an enjoyment.
So in conclusion, it really depends on how you use a particular technology -used in moderation and in an intelligent manner it could be the greatest tool. Otherwise an enemy that steals time and waylays and deters a person from achieving his ultimate goal.

THE INTERNET

Nowadays, no one can deny the importance of the Internet. Sitting in front of a computer, clicking a mouse three times, you can get access to the information highway, which provides you numerous valuable sources of information. Thanks to the Internet, people can quickly sell, advertise and share knowledge, idea, and personal feelings.
Because we are easy to access to so much information, it can create some problems to us. Children are easily suffering from inappropriate information on the Internet, since it is very hard to control information from the Internet. More and more porn pages are quickly emerging and continuously sending emails to children's account. With their curiosity, children click on these links that lead to these pages, and see things that they should not have seen. They do not realize that they are unconsciously affected because their parents cannot examine all the content they view.
Consequently, children are now becoming the number one victims of sex abuse and criminals in America where it is very easy to access bad websites such as porn sites and sex forums. It is the Internet that probably causes problems to children if parents do not pay much attention to them.
Although the Internet offers us large amount of information, its reliability is dubious because many untrue news stories can be posted to it and cause confusions to many people. It is very difficult for us to find out what websites are reliable and what are not. My teacher, for example, is advocating her students to use books to study, research, or write a report instead of using the information on the Internet.
In conclusion, the Internet causes trouble to people, especially young people and children. Although people can get access to up-to-date knowledge and information, problems caused by using information from the Internet are inevitable. Therefore, while the Internet can provide a lot of useful information, its hard cannot be underestimated.

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HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

With the development of technology, there have been a lot of changes to our life. Admittedly, some of these changes are bad, causing many environmental and social problems. However, most of these changes contribute to making our life more convenient, more comfortable and more wonderful.
First of all, due to the improvement of technology, people can enjoy more conveniences than ever. For example, it only takes travelers or businessmen several hours to go to another countries by jet planes, which makes the world seem to be much smaller. With the help of the Internet, people at different corners of the world can communicate with each other at a significantly high speed and low cost. It is technology that has cleared away the barriers that once prevented people from leading a convenient life.
Secondly, technology has made our life as comfortable as we can imagine. Sitting in air-conditioned rooms, people do not have to suffer the extremely cold or hot weather any more. Whatever vegetable or fruit we want to eat, we can always find it in a supermarket regardless of the season. We can also go to work in a place far away from our homes by using automobiles or public transportation tools.
In addition, technology provides us many choices to spend our spare time. Listening to music by using an MD, MP3 or Walkman, surfing the Internet or watching digital movies, all of these entertainments make our life wonderful.
In conclusion, although technology has brought about some problems, such as air pollution caused by increasing number of automobiles, and ethnic problems caused by cloning human beings, the benefits of technology far outweigh its bad influences. So it is safe to say that technology has made the world a better place to live.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

A great many achievements have been accomplished in recent decades in almost every area of technology, such as in computer science, manufacture, and medicine. But there have always existed two opposite attitudes towards technological development. Some people agree that these new technologies have made the world a better place to live, while others hold the opinion that technology has caused many problems to the world. As far as I am concerned, I agree with the first opinion that our world is becoming better for living with technology progress. Several persuasive reasons go as follow.
Firstly, technology developments have greatly improved people's living conditions, making our life more convenient and efficient. We have elevators taking us to the top of a skyscraper in just a few seconds; we have air conditioners to keep the indoor temperature comfortable; and we even have household robots now to help to take care of the trivial housework.
Secondly, technology developments have also made communications much easier, and thus helped to enhance relationships among people. The wide use of pagers, mobile phones, and wireless Internet has greatly facilitated the way of daily communication. They can bring people so close even though they may actually be thousands of miles apart.
Thirdly, developments in technology can provide better medical access to make people live a healthier and happier life. By taking advantages of the most recent developments in biotechnology, such as genetic engineering, I am convinced that people will have a promising prospect in treating all kinds of human diseases, including AIDS and SARS.
It is true that technological developments have also brought some serious problems. One of them is that some technological developments have done harm to the environment. For example, too much emission of waste gases, mainly carbon dioxide, has increased the global temperature significantly. However, people can reduce and finally eliminate these harmful effects by improving the technology itself or finding a more advanced and reliable technology.
I believe that with the new technologies appropriately adopted for good purposes, our world would be made an even better place to live.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Since the end of the last century, when technology started to make a full impact, debates have sprung up among people worldwide as to whether this technology has made the world a better place to live or not. In my perspective, the new developments have indeed improved our lives.
One striking example of how Man's new inventions have helped us to lead a better life is the whole set of time-saving electrical appliances and tools, ranging from washing machines to microwave ovens. No longer do we need to go down to the river to wash our clothes on rocks or to heat our food with wood and charcoal for never-ending hours. Nowadays, our daily chores are merely simple tasks, needing only very little efforts on our part. It is the machines that do all the boring and tiring work.
Consequently, we are left with much more leisure time to spend at our free will. Technology has exerted a great influence on the ways people relax themselves today. It has transformed our previously boring leisure time into long hours of excitement, enjoyment and fun. For instance, nobody can deny that video, computer and PlayStation games have added spice to our lives, especially those of children. The home cinema, recently available on the market, has made many happy families around the world.
Technology has not done good deeds only in those areas. It has gone even further by improving considerably communication among countries. Owing to new technology such as the Internet, fax and mobile phones, barriers among nations have started to disappearing, thus turning the world into a 'global village'. In our modern era, it is even possible to be living in a poor country while studying with the top professors in England via the Web by enrolling in an online degree.
We have therefore seen how technology has made the world a better place to live in some ways. However, just as the English proverb goes, "Every coin has two sides", technology has also had a few negative effects on our society. Thus, the same timesaving devices that save us so much trouble have quickened so much the pace of life. Nowadays everyone is stressed and is always preoccupied. Moreover, overexposure to video games and the television has been proved to be harmful to people's health, creating eye and back problems. In addition, new technology like the Internet has allowed the brewing of new types of crime and criminals such as hackers and viruses.
In today's world, technology is having a deep influence on the way people do things. But the issue of whether this technology has made the world a better place to live in will continue to be a controversial topic.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Being modern human beings, people nowadays have enjoyed so much from the highly developed technology. The improvements of technology have changed people's life styles significantly. Admittedly, sometimes, technology worsens the condition. However, compared to its advantages, the bad impacts are so tiny.
In the modern world, we lead a much better life than our ancestors. We no longer need to be on guard all day to prevent us from being attacked by wild animals; we no longer live in rock caves which are dangerous and not comfortable; we can no longer put all of our hope to the God to pray a mild weather which will bring us a harvest. We can utilize technology to increase the quality and quantity of plants. Moreover, modern technology of medical treatment helps us cure the number of terrible diseases that will deprive the life of human.
Besides, technology provides us many unimaginable tools that benefit our life. We can travel from one place to another by plane only in few hours, while it would take our ancestors several months or even years in the ancient time. We use computer and robot to help us with hard and routine works. Computers also improve the efficiency of our work.
However, technology not only brings us gold but also rubbish. Pollution is one of the most terrible problems. The excess use of technology brings disasters to people and the world. The rivers and oceans are not as clear as before; the wild animals are disappearing. In order to save the world and also ourselves, people should limit their demand from nature and use technology in a sustainable way.
All in all, technology itself is neutral thing. Whether it will benefit people or do harm to people depends on the people who use it. Fortunately, most of the time we have utilized technology in the right way, therefore, the technology benefit our life much more than its harm.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Standing at the turn of the new century, we observe the twentieth century as a great advance in technology. With those advances, human lives have changed dramatically. In some ways, life is worse, but mostly, it is better. So personally speaking, I am, and probably will always be, one of those who agree with the idea that technology has made the world a better place to live.
First of all, technology has brought with it a more comfortable life. Not only do we use air-conditioners and heating systems during summer and winter, but also do we experience many changes in food preparation methods to prepare delicious food. Due to the development of architectural technology, our living conditions are greatly improved.
Besides, traveling and communication are much more convenient nowadays. We can travel around by airplanes and railway networks. We can talk to each other through telephones. Twenty years ago, it was a dream that we could obtain information as well as shopping via the Internet.
The last but not the least, through the process of technology improvement, people begin to realize the fact that only reconciling with the nature can we maintain a sustainable development. That is why we today pay so much attention to environmental protection. Many factories have achieved economic growth without polluting the environment by utilizing certain new technology.
Instances of the same sort can be multiplied indefinitely. When taking into account all these merits we may safely arrive at the conclusion that advantages of technology outweigh any disadvantages it may bring to our lives. Though I must admit that people sometimes invent some things that threaten the lives of themselves, no one can ignore the additional conveniences and satisfaction offered by technology, and just with such experiences the human being forge ahead swiftly to the future.

HAS TECHNOLOGY MADE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE TO LIVE?

Many people take the view that technology has made the world a better place to live. As far as I am concerned, I share the common view with them. Because I could pick up examples here and there around us and I would here explore a few of the most important ones.
The main reason is that if we look around, we may find that technology makes for us a better place to live. Take our house for example, without architectural technology, we could only live in the open wild. Thanks for those architects and engineers, we can live in a warm comfort house that protects us not only from the rain and wind, but also from the coldness of the winter, and the hotness of the summer.
Another reason is that we could communicate with our relatives or friends without the need of meeting them face-to-face. Information technology helps us a lot in communication. For instance, telephones and cellular phones help us talk with others no matter where they are; computer networks connecting the whole world offer us another alternative of communication. By email, our messages can reach the destination in just a few seconds.
Furthermore, transportation technology realizes the dream of people who want to travel around the world or to the space. We all can imagine that without car, bus or bicycles, how could most of us manage to get to work everyday?
In a word, technology has changed the world in a better way for us to live in terms of housing, communication, transportation and many other aspects. Taking into account of all factors mentioned above, we might reach the conclusion that technology has made the world a better place to live.

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IS MODERN TECHNOLOGY CREATING A SINGLE WORLD CULTURE?

I strongly agree with the statement that modern technology is creating a single world culture. Modern technology like computers and the Internet is bringing people together, and making the world smaller.
First of all, with the development of modern technologies such as computers, English is becoming the most important language in the world, and the importance of other languages is getting weaker and weaker. Admit or not, the most common language used today on the Internet is English, and this makes English becomes the one and only most important language in the world. On the other hand, computers can cross the barriers of human language. No matter where people are, and no matter which language people speak, they always use computers the same way, and basically they are using the same kind of software packages, like the Windows Operating Systems and word processing software packages. The computer language is also a universal language. Programmers from different part of the world can work in the Silicon Valley together. Although they might have difficulties in communicating in English, they have no problem at all writing programs with Java, or C++.
Besides, the development of the Internet is unifying people's life style. Internet is being used in almost every corner of the world. People are doing almost everything with the Internet, like getting all sorts of information, shopping online, paying for their bills and checking their balances in the online bank. Over 90 per cent of people in the world use the same kind of Internet browser -the Internet Explorer, and the interfaces of almost every Internet page looks like the same, although they use different language and design. People from all over the world are doing the same thing each day on the Internet, and their living habit is becoming closer and closer with each passing day.
In addition, modern technology has facilitated the communications among people from all over the world, and therefore has resulted a single world culture. For instance, people can chat with a friend or a stranger who lives abroad over the phone, or the Internet, and they can also see and listen to him/her through a camera and a microphone attached to the computer. The ease of communication helps one culture learns from other culture, and brings the world together. Before people can see each other through TV, they used to wear their local costumes; nowadays T-shirt and blue jeans have become a universal custom for people. This is a concrete example that modern development is creating a single world culture.
Based on the points discussed above, we can see why I agree with that modern technology is creating a single world culture.

IS MODERN TECHNOLOGY CREATING A SINGLE WORLD CULTURE?

When we look back to the history of human being in recent 200 years, we will be surprising what a huge change modern technology has brought us. Trains and planes connect people everywhere. Radios and televisions enable us to keep with every news happened around the world. More and more chances of communication influence different cultures deeply.
To discuss the impact that modern technology has given on different cultures, most people would agree that nowhere in history has the issue been more visible that people in different countries are getting more and more alike. Most of the time, you cannot tell which country a person is from only by his/her clothes. Young people all over the world can enjoy McDonald's and other western food the same way as Americans enjoy. A pop music singer can have her fans in every corner of our planet. People around the world share news from newspapers and TV and express concerns on the same topic.
"The world is getting smaller!." How often we hear such words! But that is only part of the truth. Not everything in a country's culture can be changed. Something developed from thousands of years ago and has already been a part of a nation's spirit cannot be wiped off easily. For example, the family concept of our country has never changed. We still prefer a big family that all generations live together. That is the definition of happiness in our value system. We still appreciate the thinking of Confucius and take it as guideline of our daily life. At the same time, many countries make great efforts to preserve their culture heritages. People around the world take more and more pride in their own cultures, and try to cherish them.
Certainly, modern technology make possible for cultures to communicate with each other. But I don't think it is creating a single world culture. Communication brought by modern technology can be an instrument for improving and learning, but not a tool for erasing individualities. And it is the cultural diversity that makes our world more beautiful and interesting.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

WHICH TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE HAS CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIVES?

The ancient Chinese people dreamed of flying to a place thousands of miles away within minutes by utilizing the force of a special wind. In many ancient mythologies, deity heroes who had the magic power of traveling a long distance in minutes were highly admired by the common people on earth.
The invention of airplane, which I think is probably one of the greatest achievements of mankind, has helped people fulfill such dreams. In the past, it was a very difficult and daunting task for a person to go far away. Confucius, the great ancient Chinese scholar, once said that a man should not travel a long distance while his parents were still alive. By this, he not only stressed the importance of interpersonal relations among family members but also indicated the difficulties and the time spent on going far way. In ancient books, we can find numerous descriptions of the hardness and risks travelers often faced, not to mention the long time they had to spend on the road.
However, the invention of modern transportation means, airplane in particular, has greatly transformed people's way of traveling. Now, they can easily go within hours to places thousands of miles away, a distance which people would have taken several months to go in the previous time. Besides, airplanes make traveling much safer and comfort. Sheltered from sunlight, rain, hot or freezing temperatures, people can now fly in the air and avoid being exposed to bad climates and strong winds. Another advantage of airplanes is that they can transport people as well as goods swiftly to other places. For instance, airplanes play an important role in sending rescue teams and goods to an area damaged by an earthquake, as a result of which the lives of thousands of people are saved. Now, in the global anti-terrorist war, military forces can be dispatched and deployed in a short time to areas where an terrorist attack occurred.
Airplanes have undoubtedly changed people's lives. The earth has become "smaller" now because of the convenient exchanges of people and commodities made possible by airplanes. We can accomplish many things that could never have been done by the ancient people.

WHICH TRANSPORTATION VEHICLE HAS CHANGED PEOPLE'S LIVES?

An airplane is a form of transportation that has changed people's lives. Thanks to the plane, our lives are now faster, more exciting, and more convenient that before.
You cannot deny that a plane is fast. For example, the Concorde flies at supersonic speed. A businessman can leave Paris at 11 a.m. in the morning and arrive in New York at 8 a.m. the same morning in time for a day's work. Many business people in Europe will fly to London for a noon meeting and then return home to Rome or Madrid for dinner.
It is always exciting to take a plane trip. When you take a trip by plane, you know that you might cross many time zones, many oceans, and many countries. When you get off the plane, you could be in a place that speaks a different language. A plane is like a magician's trick. You get in a box and you come out somewhere totally different.
Nothing can beat the convenience of a plane. In the old days, it might take you days to do what the plane can do it an hour. Boats, for example, only leave on certain days of the week and take a long time to get to their destination. Planes give you the option to leave several times a day and get you to your destination quickly.
Although other forms of transportation may be more comfortable, none has changed the way we do business and live our lives more than the plane. Thanks to the speed, excitement, and convenience of the planes, our lives are richer.

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CAN NEW TECHNOLOGIES HELP STUDENTS?

"With the help of technology students nowadays can learn more information and learn it more quickly." I agree with this statement. Technology has helped a student cross national boundaries, open up new views and increase the speed at which he imbibes information.
New technology in the form of Internet has helped breach the limitations of a country's frontiers. A student sitting in a small town of India can access the latest course material released by MIT on his topic of interest. He can gain access to the latest info that his happening in physics and thus improve his existing warehouse of knowledge. He can browse through the previous papers in physics and dwell deeper and deeper in his specialized study. And how long does this all take? A click of a mouse. Compare this with searching through the mazes of his small hometown library, only to find some outdated articles and consuming a great part of his daily activity.
Technology has helped open up many new avenues that previously were considered impossible. Take for example the simple LCD projectors. They give a visual feel of the subject that the student is studying helping him to learn not only quickly but also effectively. Or for that matter video conferencing. A student can ask questions and clear his lingering doubts when he interacts with a professor considered as the authority in his field.
An overlooked aspect of technology is the transportation. With rapid advances in transportation, a student in Japan does not think twice before signing up for a program in the US. Would this have been possible 100 years back? Certainly not.
In concluding I would like to say that technology has played a major role not only in increasing the speed at which students learn but also in bringing a radical change in the way they learn it.

CAN NEW TECHNOLOGIES HELP STUDENTS?

The information technology is developing so rapidly that nearly all families in Hong Kong have at least one computer. Not only can students surf on the net and search for information at home, but they can also use computers at schools, at cyber centers and even in certain fast food restaurants. No doubt, the convenience in accessing information on the Internet helps students to learn more knowledge and learn it more quickly.
In the past, students can only learn from traditional books. In addition to the school curriculum, students might be able to learn from the extra-curricular books. They can go to the library and search for information. But this is much inconvenient than just sitting in front of the computer and learning things from websites from all over the world. In comparison, the information from the traditional books is so limited. By surfing on the net, students can get a wider horizon about any kind of information and have a deep understanding on each field.
On the other hand, students can never have such a quick way to search for information that they required. In a library, students might have to spend a whole hour in searching for a single book with relevant information. Yet, with a computer, students can search for an entire page of links with a search engine such as Yahoo. The whole process involves just few clicks and several seconds. Moreover, information from books in library might be outdated. On the net, students can learn the first-handed information. With the help of technology, students can get information much quicker.
However, searching on the net for information has its disadvantages too. It is difficult to ensure the information is accurate or not, as the publishing of website do not have the controlling policies as that of publishing books. Yet, in general, it is still true that information technology help students to learn more and learn more quickly.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

A TRADITIONAL HOUSE VS. A MODERN APARTMENT

Young people usually prefer living in a modern apartment building as they often take consideration of the fashionable things, while more experienced adults would rather live in a traditional house as they like the feel of family and the quiet atmosphere around the traditional house. For my part, I would like to live in a traditional house.
First of all, there must be a variety of old things in the traditional house, owing to many years it has passed by. In my opinion, every old thing has an old story. When you take an old book from the bookshelf which your grandfather has read, when you use the broom your grandmother ever used to clean the house, when you sit on a chair where your mother ever sat to make a sweater for you, I am sure you will feel very warm from the bottom of your heart.
Second, traditional house is often in a quiet district where you can obtain a good chance to relax yourself and think quietly after your work or study. After the temporary relation, you will probably have more energy to put into your job or study.
Third, since it is a traditional house, there must be a good neighborhood around it. If you are in some trouble, the neighbors would help you, and you will feel convenient and joyful living in the traditional house.
On the other hand, if you live in the modern apartment building, the relationship between your neighbor and you is so aloof that you certainly cannot find warm help as you do in the traditional house. Admittedly, living in a modern apartment building has a few positive factors, such as, it may be near your work place, you can save time and money on transportation, you would live closer to modern life, and so on. However, at the same time you will not feel the warmness of the people's relationship. So if we take a careful consideration, it is not difficult to get he conclusion: living tin the traditional house is your sagacious choice!

A TRADITIONAL HOUSE VS. A MODERN APARTMENT

I know there are advantages to living in a modern apartment, but I'd prefer to live in a traditional house. My main reason is that I love traditional designs. They're graceful and warm and inviting. I think modern designs are very empty and sterile and not appealing. So, because of the way it looks, I'd choose a traditional house.
I recognize the fact that a modern apartment is going to be in much better shape. Being new probably means all the plumbing works, the roof is not going to leak, the windows are properly sealed, and the kitchen appliances are in working order. A traditional house cannot guarantee any of that. In fact, it's likely that things will break down or need replacement, simply because of age.
Still, if the appliances are old, so is the wood, and that's a big advantage as far as I am concerned. Very few new buildings have the kind of beautiful woods that were used years ago. It's something that cannot be copied.
Space is always important to me, too. I need a lot of room for my home office, my clothes, and to display all the knickknacks I have picked up in my travels. I also like to have interesting space. I do not want all the rooms and windows the same size or a boxy design. A modern apartment usually comes in one size and shape. A traditional house is going to have a variety of spaces where I can put a little table or a window seat. And it will have lots of room, from basement to attic. These are all good reasons for me to prefer living in a traditional house.
Some people love modern design, but it's not for me. The space and beauty of a traditional home are more important to me than having everything new and perfect.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

A SMALL TOWN VS. A BIG CITY

I grew up in a small town and then moved to a big city, therefore 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 proved 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, but in different ways. 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 then you have a choice of taking public transportation. It's not free, but it's often cheaper than driving when you consider gas and insurance. Especially if you don't have a car, you're better off living in a 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 aspect of the excitement of city living is the variety of cultural activities available. There is a wide assortment of theatres, music and dance performances available in big cities. These things are rare in small towns.
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 small US town. Living in an area where everyone is just like me would quickly make me bored.
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 in a small town.

A SMALL TOWN VS. A BIG CITY

In English, there is a well-known fairy story about a poor country boy, Dick Whittington, who goes to London because he believes that the streets of that city are "paved with gold." The story is a tale of "from rags to riches." Dick eventually becomes the Lord Mayor of London. Like the hero of that story, I always find wonder and adventure in cities.
Cities contain a great assortment of people. Whenever I walk around a shopping precinct at midday on a weekend, I am fascinated by all the different types of people hurrying around the shops. Sometimes, I just sit on a public bench and simply watch the variegated streams of shoppers. Today, in the age of globetrotting transport and communications, city life is more mixed than it has ever been. Capital cities are not cosmopolitan, and eager to attract foreign trade and currency. There is a contemporary English joke that tells, "You can never find an Englishman in London."
Whether rightly or wrongly, governments and local authorities usually build public amenities in the big cities. Money is invested in transport, libraries, parks and museums. Often, countries will compete with each other for the best "show-case" building. Malaysia has built a skyscraper that is taller than is anything in New York. In large countries, region will compete against region: New York against Chicago, Shanghai against Hong Kong and Beijing.
All of this is good for the citizen. The magic of the Dick Whittington story is rekindled in me when I enter a library in a magnificent building. If a person is at university studying art or music, a large city usually offers galleries and public performances. Even as a teenager, I appreciated the worth of living in a city because two or three times a year there was a rock concert by a favorite band.
Architecture is the urban landscape. If a person has an appreciation of architecture, a city can be as visually exciting as the Himalayas. A modern metropolis is a mountain range of height, light and solidness. And then there are the old buildings: the quaint, unspoiled side street or shops and homes from a distant age. If a person lived all of his life in one large city, he would continue to discover its architectural secrets into his old age.
Man is a 'social animal'. He talks, mixes and creates. Cities offer the libraries, universities and cafe bars for him to meet others of his kind.

A SMALL TOWN VS. A BIG CITY

Where shall we live? Some may choose to live in big cities, while other like the natural and quiet surroundings in the countryside. As far as I am concerned, I would like to live in a big city because living in a big city has more advantages than living in the countryside.
To begin with, the city is the symbol of human civilization and there are a many facilities for living, recreation and health care. Therefore, living there is more convenient than living in the countryside. For example, we can find a plenty of malls around our neighborhood, where we can buy everyday necessities at a low price. Furthermore, people concern more about their health and safety than other things in their lives. In big cities, medical facilities and emergency services are easily accessible than in the countryside. Big cities also have convenient transportation and utility systems. They also offer faster Internet connections. These all make our life easier in big cities.
In addition, we can take part in a variety of events in big cities. Human being likes to live together and need to interact with each other. In a big city, the population density is high therefore there are always plenty of social activities, sports events and concerts. There are more recreational places in big cities, such as opera houses, movie theatres, clubs, and swimming pools. You will have many kinds of entertainment in big cities, and meet many people. In countryside, however, the life may be dull and quite, and you may only have a few neighbors. Living alone with few activities can easily cause mental diseases.
Some may argue that the pollution in cities makes people sick. However, with automobiles and modern highways we can easily take a break to expose to fresh air in the countryside and sunshine on the beach.
In conclusion, I strongly hold that living in big cities is much better than living in the countryside because of the advanced facilities and social activities in cities. Moreover, the autos and highways enable us to enjoy the natural and quiet surroundings in the countryside.

A SMALL TOWN VS. A BIG CITY

The environment where a person grows up and lives molds his personality to a greater degree. He becomes a part of the culture of that community where he lives and the ideals, the line of thinking, the way people dress, the way they speak, the types of food they like, all of these are influential and somehow makes the person what he is. Taking this into consideration, I would prefer living in a big city.
I would like to be aware of a lot of things. I would like to be up to date as to the current technologies that would help lighten up activities of daily living, such as the Internet, washing machines, microwave ovens, cable television and the like. I would like to experience the benefits of living in the era where high technology is the trend and make total use of it. I would like to be exposed to things that would make me an achieving professional in order to succeed in life. It is not that I belittle those who would prefer to stay in a little town. I think they have the advantage of having a peaceful life, free of noise, air, and water pollution, live abundantly with fresh fruits, vegetables, milk and meat.
Also, the intimacy of having a small community far outweighs the crowded city. But they are deprived of what is new or if it comes to them, like television, people in the city are using far more advanced tools and gadgets, such as palm top computers or watching through their cell phones already. For example, it is very difficult for electricity to reach far fetched places and so how can they make use of the Internet over there. Nowadays, it is very easy to travel publicly, especially with the metro rail train in the city. In a matter of minutes, you are already in your destination without the hassles of traffic. But in a small town, one has to walk by feet or if they become lucky, some improvised moving carts made of plywood are the means of their transportation.
I would not prefer living in a situation where I think I would not grow as a person; where if ever I would learn things, those are still way behind those of the urban people. I want diversity. I want an evolving environment. I want to be at pace with the challenges of the place I am living at and not stay drowned in the stunted growth I may have if I choose to stay in a little town.

COUNTRY AND CITY

People are always wondering whether the country or the city is the ideal place to live. If there is one preference-which I take leave to make a conclusion-then it is the country rather than the city that provides people with optimal living conditions. There widespread testimonies for it and the primary ones are listed as follows.
The foremost reason for dwelling in the countryside is the soothing and comfortable life provided by the pastoral view. Hardly anyone could resist the clean atmosphere, the friendly neighbors, the closeness to nature and the gentle pace of living. Those who have enjoyed the first cock crow in the morning, the twittering of birds in the tress and the breathtaking sight of the rising sun would go into rapture at only mere mention of the idyllic life. Relaxed and suburban dwellers are able to hold a more positive attitude for life and achieve more accomplishment.
Oppositely, the obvious things brought about by noisy and flashy city life are more pressure and forever-lasting anxiety, agonizing and torching people's mind day in and day out. Another subtle explanation rests on the fact that country habitants are fortunate enough to enjoy the cozy and pleasant ambience of the family without exhausting social life. How satisfactory and refreshing it must be to have dinner together with your loved ones in the spacious and pastoral surroundings after a frustrating day! Furthermore, nothing can be compared with the joy of watching heart warming TV programs, playing convivial games and sleeping in the tranquil and relaxing atmosphere.
On the contrary, it would be far more difficult to acquire such pleasure for those urbanites. Consecutive and excessive recreations not only thrift money but also deteriorate people's health, which is the last thing one would like to encounter. Naturally, it is possibly to reckless to assert that nothing beneficial combines with city life since several accompanying merits also come along with it. Living in the metropolis means having more accesses to various people involved in multiple attractive cultures. Living in the metropolis also provides plentiful opportunities, both in career and studies.
Nevertheless, the fact that city life makes it more convenient to purchase a job does not prevent us from concluding that country life is more enjoyable as well as healthful and placing a certain amount of reliance on the notion that country life is always the sensible choice.

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ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

ESSAYLEAKS SELECTIVIDAD / ABITUR / IBO / BACHARELATO / KPDS / BACCALAUREATE / IELTS / TOEFL/ MATURA

SHOULD CHILDREN GROW UP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OR IN A CITY?

There are advantages and disadvantages for a child to grow up in the country or in a city. It's hard to say which is better. Growing up in the country means a certain degree of isolation. You're in a small town or on a farm with few people. In addition, the people you meet everyday tend to be just like you. Most have the same background with you, and go to the same schools with you. In the city, people you meet are all different. People come from different culture backgrounds.
City people tend to come from a lot of different places and move around a lot. So, there is not a sense of community in the city like what you have in the country. People in the city can live in the same apartment building for twenty years even without getting to know each other. In the country, however, everybody knows everybody. A child can get lost or hurt in the city and have no one to turn to. In the country, everyone is a neighbor, and people feel connected to each other.
A child growing up in the city has a lot of interesting and exciting places to visit. He or she can go to a zoo, museums, art galleries and concerts. There are a lot of restaurants with different kinds of cuisines. It's easy to see new movies that come out. Children in the country don't have a lot of these activities to go to.
To my opinion, a childhood in the city is better because it prepares a child more for what real life is like.

SHOULD CHILDREN GROW UP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OR IN A CITY?

Where is a better place for children to grow up, the countryside or the big city? The answer to this question differs from individual to individual. As far as I am concerned, it is better for children to grow up in a big city.
Some people argue that the countryside is an ideal place for children to grow up. For one thing, it is less polluted than the city. The air is fresh in the countryside. The sky is bluer and the water is clearer. Living in such a place is good to the children's health. For another, as children like playing, only the countryside can offer them a big playground. They can run everywhere, play games in the fields, swim in the river. On the contrary, the city cannot provide such places for children. They can only stay at home and watch TV.
Although I do agree that growing up in the countryside has one or more advantages, I insist that it is far better to choose the city as the right place for children. To begin with, living in the city can broaden children's horizons. They can meet a lot of people and hear a lot of things that will never happen in the countryside.
In addition, a city means more chance to receive better education. In most countries, it is no doubt that the level of education in the city is higher than that of the country. As a result, children can meet better teachers and receive high quality of education in the city.
Last but not least, children can also develop many hobbies in the city. They can learn to play the piano, painting, and dancing, to name a few, which are impossible in the country.
In conclusion, I believe that it is better for children to grow up in the city not only because it can broaden their horizons, but also because they can receive better education and have a chance to develop many hobbies there.

SHOULD CHILDREN GROW UP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OR IN A CITY?

I think that it is better for children to grow up in a big city because living there and getting use to it will prepare them for the real life. Living in the countryside, for instance, in small towns or villages may prevent children from fitting into the society.
As a child born in the countryside (in a small town) I thought life is wonderful and people are always kind as they were in my hometown. When I grew up and I had to think about my further education. The best alternative was to go to study in a language school in a big city fifty kilometers away from my town. The school I chose was a leading institution in the whole country. It was a great opportunity for me to meet new people and to get better education.
I arrived for the school opening day. Everything was absolutely perfect. I met my new classmates and they were great. In a few weeks I understood that life was not as ideal as I thought it was. Students in the school were competing with each other for being the first in everything. It was strange for me and I was drowning in the puddle of cruelty and selfishness. My grades were not as good as these of the other students in my class and at the end of the first semester the headmaster informed me that if I did not improve my grades during the second semester I would be suspended from school.
The idea of being suspended was an unacceptable one. I could not let it happen. I became like my class-fellows - brutal and egotistical. The fight for the first places in the school's rank list was merciless. At the end of the academic year I was ranked number 5 (five) of one thousand students in the school.
Today I am at eleventh grade and I am still one of the best disciples in the school. I realize that now I can afford dreaming. For example, now I want to get a university degree in the United States and I have real chances to be admitted.
However, before I came out from my hometown I did not even think of such fundamental things. It was just an issue regarding the geniuses, not me. But now I can say that I am ready to face the challenges of real life and no difficulties can deter me because this big city taught me how to overcome obstacles and to be one of the best.

SHOULD CHILDREN GROW UP IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OR IN A CITY?

Nowadays, technological development is directed to such people-crowded places such as big cities, resulting in significant differences of lifestyles between people living in the town and in the countryside. It is said that big cities are no longer suitable for bringing up children. In my point of view, I strongly agree that children should grow up in the countryside. Being close to nature, children in the countryside are likely to improve both physical and mental behaviors better than those who are in the city. In the rural areas, children are endowed with real nature that affects to the development of children.
First, fresh air in the countryside provides children with good health. Research has it that more and more children in the town nowadays are exposed to allergy on account of pollution from both vehicles and factories. On the other hand, children living far away from any high technologies are liable to be much healthier. Polluted air is a main cause to destroy the health of everybody, especially children.
Another benefit of living in the countryside is that a majority of children spend their free time wisely. After coming back from school or during vacations, most of the city-dwelling children waste their time by watching TV or playing video games. Big cities have limited areas and hardly furnish people in the communities with public places for relaxing such as park and playgrounds. Therefore children in the cities are limited to conducting useless or even harmful activities. In contrast, rural children devote their leisure time playing with others in large open fields or helping their parents look after their cattle. As a result, not only be rural children so strong from everyday exercise, but they also spend their time in a meaningful way by helping their parents do some work.
Finally, children in the countryside may become more considerate man than those who are in the big city. In the cities, there are very high rate of rivalry.

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