2012.01.07

Some people think inviting large foreign companies to set up factories in developing countries is helpful for local economy，while others think that the foreign companies should not be allowed to build their factories in developing countries，instead，local companies should be encouraged in order to develop local economy. Discuss both views and give your own opinion.

 

来自国际的投资意味利弊的冲突。作者的立场是开发中国家必须引进外资。这是主题。把冲突抽象化作为焦点。这是起段开头。
试题明白的指示考生讨论不同的两种立场。承段接头论外资的好处。转段转头论外资可能引起的弊病。
合段回头重申起段的主题大意。

 

1. 

In order to let cash flow in, the door must be open. There is an increased awareness among developing countries that they cannot reach their expected economic potentials without attracting equity along with management support from large foreign companies.  On the contrary, to keep foreign offices and factories out is to deny the need to court international money which can help plant entrepreneurial seeds for the local economy to grow.
 
For a developing country, little choice is seen but turn to foreign capitals.  Over the past decades many developing countries have sought outside investments in what is called a win-win game benefitting foreign companies as well.  The trend of such bilateral cooperation has become even more obvious in a world of globalization. Plenty of economic fruits are being  shared by investing companies and local industries alike, and this can be proved by such succesful stories as Asian "dragons" or "tigers," big and small, and the smiling faces of capitalists, far and near. Thanks greatly to foreign offices and factories, the host nations and regions can long enjoy supercharged economic growth based largely on industrial policies supporting exports to rich, industrialized countries.  Furthermore, economic prosperity leads to heavy government investments in education and high public and private saving rates, among other benefits.
 
There is a sense of fear in some people who argue that international investments could backfire in the long run.  It is understandable that the policy to keep foreign offices and factories out is not so much a fear of foreign capital as a fear of foreign dominance.  Although a developing country is in want of cash to grow its economy faster, it happens that money can just as well ruin national character.  As investors search the planet for the highest returns, they are often drawn to places endowed with bountiful natural resources like timbers and mines, particularly where there are weak or ineffective laws or corruptions.  Foreign investment-fed growth also promotes western-style consumerism, boosting car ownership, and Big Mac consumption rates towards levels beyond control.  Deep at ideological heart, some developing countries have tried to restrict, even resist, foreign investments because of nationalist sentiments and concerns over economic and political influences.

 

In comparison, it is advisable for a developing country to carefully study where investments come from, as if selecting seeds for plants.  The wise words of Genesis encourage people to select "every plant yielding seed and every tree which has fruit yielding seed."  Good foreign investments may be like good seeds that grow good plants that bear good fruits that in turn yield good seeds.  It is up to a developing country whether to keep its garden open to foreign seeds.

 

2.

As a result of globalization, a large number of multinational companies have set up branches and factories in order countries. Some people hold the opinion that developing countries should encourage the presence of foreign companies to give a boost to local economy. Other people are opposed to this trend and uphold independent development.

 

There are a few factors that impede the economic growth of developing countries. Among them the shortage of fund and technology is prominent, which can be solved to some extent by the introduction of transnational companies. Apart from this, large companies are also strong in terms of managerial experience due to their long history and sophisticated organizational structures. As most of employees are hired locally in the offices and factories established by large foreign companies, they contribute to the training of qualified personnel for developing countries.

 

However, some people object to introducing foreign companies and regard them as a threat to local companies. There is no denying that foreign companies pay taxes and create employment opportunities, but the majority of income goes to the pocket of the parent companies and their representatives. The main concern is that local companies tend to be in a disadvantageous position in the competition with their foreign counterparts, which would undermine the growth of national economies.

 

In my point of view, the benefits brought about by foreign companies are obvious and developing countries should create better conditions for foreign companies to participate in the local economic development. Meanwhile, local companies should be aware that international competition is unavoidable and the solution lies with the enhancement of their own competitiveness.

 

2012.01.12

Some people think that the government should establish free libraries in each town. Others, however, believe that it is a waste of money since the public can use the Internet at home to obtain information. Discuss both sides and give your own opinion.

 

1.

两个问题。引言3 sentences之后，1. 讨论二者的利弊，看中体的承段6 sentences与转6 sentences段。2. 考生提出看法，看合段的结论3 sentences。

起段引言>Introduction

开头第一句。申论主题: 使用因特网可以取得各种资讯Vs.图书馆对大众有利。
开头第二句。集中焦点：冲突是两难自解。
开头第三句。一分为二：分头指引讨论二者利弊。

 

The public can still benefit from visiting libraries, even though these days access to the Internet can provide all kinds of information. To enhance the quality of research, it is better to make the most of both modern Web-based and traditional library resources. Establishing free libraries in each town makes sense since the use of a computer at home has its own weaknesses as well as its indisputable strengths.

 

At this information age, the diversified advantages of using the Internet are only too obvious. Online resources can be obtained from all over the world 24 hours a day, seven days a week while a library's publications cannot provide up-to-minute information the way Web sites can. The Internet gives users opportunities for two-way communication through Facebook, Twitter, E-mail, MSN, among other electronic devices. Some sites feature rare books, documents and special collections that traditionally have been only available in libraries. Almost at no cost and merely a few clicks away, the public can read newspapers, magazines, journals and encyclopedias, no matter when or where. Furthermore, the Internet offers a complete multimedia experience--texts, video, audio, hyperlinks and graphics, etc. all at once, but such advantages often cannot be expected from town libraries.

 

On the other hand, money spent on public libraries is certainly worth it. To start with, knowledgeable librarians can be of practical help when it comes to offering professional advice about research on particular topics. A government-financed library is supposed to use universal cataloging systems that classify and organize all resources so that it is easier for a user to locate specific information without being led to non-productive research. Whereas most Web sites provide materials characteristic of current information, only a library well-funded by public money can house printed copies that date back many decades. In addition, computers in libraries also offer free Internet connection and other electronic resources, such as reference CD-ROMs. Now that anyone can create a Web site, reliability of information on the Internet is not guaranteed, and as such there are cases in which the Internet is no substitute for the library.

 

Money being not the issue, the government ought to have the wisdom of establishing free libraries in each community despite the fact that people can use the Internet at home or elsewhere. For quality research, libraries and the Internet are complementing each other. Were information food for the hungry mind, one might as eat out sometimes as eat at home, and at this point nobody ever ask questions whether to have "free" restaurants in town.

 

2.

Eastablishing free libraries in communities tends to be increasingly prevalent in a substantial number of countries. However, while some people believe that it is beneficial to a wide range of people, others contend it is a proposal of sinking money as a result of the popularity of internet at home.

 

Those who are in favor of the idea that government should set up free libraries in each town may hold this could encourage the general public to read, thereby cultivating people’s reading interests, the youth in particular. Obviously, this is rewarding for people all over the nation to keep learning constantly and the overall cultural quality of the whole country would enhance. Furthermore, a wide range of impoverished poeple who could hardly afford to read will own a higher possibility to access books. This will inevitably help reduce the proportion of illiterates

 

On the other hand, an array of others maintain that a significant amount of money will be wasted given each household possesses at least a computer and can freely log on internet to acquire information. But an undeniable fact is that the prevalence of computer and internet could hardly reach such a high level where all people could easily gain information from interne at present. Under this circumstance, barely could the poor change their fate, were the government not to eastablish free libraries and open door of knowledge to the disadvantaged group.

 

My view is that free libraries should be established in each town, especially those impoverished ones where more than one ought to be funded. Prevalent though internet is, not every household could afford it in a sizable perncentage of areas and therefore free libraries seem the best choice currently.

 

3.

The widespread use of internet has affected every aspect of people's life. In recent years, there is a debate as to whether the government should build libraries in all towns, since internet has made it easy and convenient for people to obtain information at home or in the office.

 

Those who support the constrction of libraries believe that libraries can encourage people to read and help to raise the level of local education. In a fast-paced society, it is common for people to choose to spend their spare time watching TV and surfing the internet. As a result, the reading and writing skills have declined gradually, particularly for children. By contrast, libraries are ideal places for people to enjoy reading, which is a traditional way of acquiring knowledge, absorbing wisdom and interacting with the authors.

 

Some people argue that those books are all available on the internet and it is a waste of public fund to build libraries. Compared with libraries, internet is a more convenient and efficient access to informantion. What is more important is the considerably lower cost of internet and the less impact on the envrionment, consuming a large amount of wood resource every year.

 

In my point of view, although the role of libraries is challenged by new technology, it does not mean that libraries have become a useless and money-consuming decoration. The function of libraries is to provide a place for studying, searching information and participating in other cultural activities. As for the downsides, they can be sikved by cutting down the storage of paper books and the introduction of more electronic books, which has proved to be an effective way of saving resources and protecting the envrionment.

 

12.01.14

Some employers are given increased importance to social skills in addition to good qualifications. Do you agree or disagree that social skills are as important as good qualifications for success in jobs?

 

1.

good qualification

　　1. proof of capacity --> eligible for a duty --c-- difficult

social skills

　　1. effective communication --> efficiency --if-- tolerated

 

In such a competitive society where achieving success in a job is increasingly significant that people attach substantial importance to their academic qualification. But I tend to believe that success in a job requires not only academic qualification but also social skills.

 

Qualification is proof of capacity, knowledge or skill that an employer possesses for a job. It is a widely held perception that with good qualification, an employer is more likely to be believed eligible for a duty, whereas a reasonable qualification does not necessarily indicate competence which is basically fostered through the practice in a job. By contrast, it seems difficult to judge whether a person without a reasonable qualification could fullfil a mission. Therefore, when employers recruiting new members, candidates with fine qualification normally win more favor in comparison with their fellow competitors.

 

Social skills often refer to an array of skills that facilitate people to communicate, relate and socialize with others. It is such a host of social skills that could probably help enhance employers’ working efficiency, particularly in corporations such as New Oriental Education & Technology Group Inc. where thousands of people are currently employed and effective communication is highly demanded. If employees are lack of such social skills as to speak inappropriately to a situation, there is a higher possibility for them to spoil business, thereby being dismissed.

 

Taking all factors into account, I tend to reaffirm my position that social skills are no less important than reasonable qualification for success in job and they should be considered equally significant by employers.

 

2.

Overall, I agree with this statement. Employers giving increased importance to social skills may have come to the recognition that it is hard to underestimate the contribution of good social skills on a wide variety of businesses.

 

It is not uncommon that people would rather work with someone who is likable but incompetent than with someone who is skilled but obnoxious. This has great influence on employers when looking for their employees. We can see this clearly from our own experiences that social skills matter today more than ever before and this is especially true for people who want to break into a popular field like entertainment, for example, the only way to differentiate them from others is to be more likable.

 

However, some people might argue that many occupations do not involve much social interaction, but they fail to realize that many fields used to be havens for loners, like programming, increasingly require exceptional people skills. In fact, how we value competence changes depending on whether we like someone or not and people who lack social competence end up looking like they lack other competencies, too.

 

Therefore, individuals should attach correspondingly greater importance to the acquisition of these skills for the sake of their career development, though this might be difficult to be accepted by those who are exceptionally qualified for certain jobs but not likable.

 

In conclusion, without suggesting that social skills are of equal importance to good qualifications for success in every job, I think all job seekers should be equipped with more social skills which can be achieved through patenting, schooling and training.

 

Additional materials:

Good social skills are critical to successful functioning in life. These skills enable us to know what to say, how to make good choices, and how to behave in diverse situations.

 

Types of Social Skills:

 

1. Survival skills (e.g., listening, following directions, ignoring distractions, using nice or brave talk, rewarding yourself)

2. Interpersonal skills (e.g., sharing, asking for permission, joining an activity, waiting your turn)

3. Problem-solving skills (e.g., asking for help, apologizing, accepting consequences, deciding what to do)

4. Conflict resolution skills (e.g., dealing with teasing, losing, accusations, being left out, peer pressure)

 

3.

Traditionally, academic qualifications are considered as an important factor for people to succeed in future careers. Nowadays, some people claim that social skills are equally important as academic qualifications. Personally, I agree with this viewpoint to some extent.

 

Academic qualifications cannot be obtained without many years of dilifent study or continuous practice, so they reflect a person's academic background and professional experience. Many companies require job-hunting candidates to possess a certain level of qualification, which is for the evaluation of their knowledge and skills. Some people may argue that a qualification is not the only criteria and in some cases, it may leads to prejudice and wrong judgment. But the qualification is still and important standard when other information is not available.

 

Apart from qualifications, people have become increasingly aware of the importance of social skills. A person with sophisticated social skills will find it efficient and confortable to work with others and cooperation is the key to success in many complicated tasks. Also, sound relationship with colleagues enhances the efficiency in workplaces, giving people more sense of satisfaction out of their jobs. By contrast, if people do not know how to get along with their workmates, they would suffer from extra stress in their work. Moreover, social skills help people to enlarge the circle of friends and enrich their lives. With a positive attitude towards other people, one would be able to deal with all kinds of challenges in his life or work.

 

To summarize, in a world when people are becoming more and more interdependent, one cannot succeed only with his qualification. To communicate and cooperate with other people has become an essential part of our lives and necessary social skills should not be ignored.

 

12.01.21

Most of the urgent problems can only be solved with international cooperation. To what extent do you agree or disagree？

 

In recent years, international cooperation has proved to be an effective way in dealing with some urgent problems, such as environmental protection, or the relief of natural disasters.

 

In is widely agreed that many issues have reached a global level and only through cooperation of a wide range of countries can these issues be addressed. For example, global warming has aroused extensive concern due to its potentially disastrous consequences. A series of international conference have been held in the past few decades in an attempt to reduce the emission of greenhouse gas. The famous Kyoto Protocol is the result of international cooperation, which has been implemented for many years. Another example is the international aid provided for people suffering from wars and natural disasters. The joint efforts of donor countries and the contribution of international non-government organizations have successfully prevent humanitarian disasters and relieve the hardships of those victims.

 

On the other hand, it is not reasonable to leave international cooperation solve all problems we are facing and this attitude may lead to delay and indifference. Some countries are plagued with poverty, backward education and corruption, which must be tackled by their own people. For instance, as the corrupt government officials in some countries appropriated the international aid, poor people have no access to the aid. Therefore, some problems cannot be solved fundamentally without the independent development and reform of individual countries.

 

To sum up, in the context of globalization, all countries have become interdependent on each other and international cooperation can help to gather the wisdom and resources in dealing with complex issues. However, there are also a large number of urgent issues that require the domestic resolution and action.

（Avril总结整理，转载敬请注明http://blog.sina.com.cn/avrildaisy）