Now we have a growing population of senior citizens. To ensure happy lives for them has become a focus of attention. Our traditional respect of the aged needs updating. They deserve respect, understanding, companion, entertainment and so on.
There are many things to be done to honor senior citizens. In cities, senior citizens should enjoy some privileges, such as special seats on buses, reduced fares for entertainment and traveling, and other benefits. We should do everything to solve their practical problems, to warm their hearts, and to make them happy. In addition, we should find some ways to provide affordable medical health care, which is of vital importance to them. Besides, there should be recreation halls and care- centers for the aged. Most important of all, the state should ensure a decent pension for them, peasants in particular. In the vast countryside, most aged people are financially supported by their sons, whose life is a perpetual struggle against poverty. What can they do if they are childless?
Senior citizens, parents in particular, need our love and deserve the best care. Respecting senior citizens bears vital importance to the family - planning policy in China. If we do our best to honor ourparents and the aged, our children will follow our example.
How to Organize a Picnic
A picnic is a pleasure trip in which food is taken to be eaten somewhere outdoors. It can either inelude or exclude barbecue. It can be on the beach, on the river bank or even in the woods. No matter where it takes place, it brings great joy.
For a picnic to be well organized, you should first prepare the necessary foods, including meat,bread, drinks and so on. Of course the picnic basket should also be taken into consideration. In addition, you should bring with you several disposable pieces of plastic tablecloth, which can serve as the table when spread out on the ground. If you plan to have a barbecue at the same time, you should also prepare a grill and fuel. Generally, the most desirable fuel is charcoal. It is a good fuel to use in the grill because it burns slowly and gives off great heat. You should also bring some slender pointed pieces of bamboo or iron so that small pieces of meat can be strung together for easy cooking.
The material preparation above is necessary, but it is not enough. Another important thing to think about is' how to dispose available manpower for the activity properly. In other words, you should appoint different people to be the leaders in charge of different things so that when the picnic begins, they can have a good cooperation, thus making the activity smooth and pleasant.
There is one more thing which you can never forget. You should always be aware of the need to protect the environment. To achieve this, you should avoid making a fire under the trees that can easily catch fire. At the same time, when the picnic comes to an end, collect the waste and throw it in the rubbish heap.
Information and My Life
As you know, information plays an important role in our modern society. Someone ~ys that ours is a society of information. I agree with him. In fact, information is expanding at an increasing rate. As a member of modern society, I am fully aware of the significance of information to my life. It affects nearly every aspect of my life. Then how to obtain and deal with information seems to be of utmost importance.
As for me, the first way to obtain information is to go to library. Our library is so large that it covers a wide range of subjects. Various kinds of information can be got in it. Information about society, economy, politics and sciences will give you a fresh mind. Of course, library isn' t the only source of information. I can learn much information by other means. Even when talking with my friends I can get a lot of useful information.
But information is so immense that we haven' t ample energy and time to deal deeply with' it. Moreover, some of the information might not be true. So, how to select information is also significant to me. Listen to all, trust only three tenths. To obtain accurate information and to throw off the false part of it should be our goal.
Information should be made full use in my life. Right now, I try to use information mostly on my studies. When I get into society several years later, information will probably become more and more important.
How to Keep Fit
A healthy body is very important to every one of us. When you are sick, you feel painful all over your body, have no energy to work; and the only thing you want to do is lying on the bed. When you are healthy, you can eat well, sleep well, sing and jump happily, do all the things you like to enjoy life.
The methods to keep us fit vary. In the morning, you can get up early, go outdoors, breathe the fresh air, and do physical exercises. Running and swimming are extremely helpful to keep one fit. If you are a busy person and have no special time allocated to do these things, there are still some ways useful for to keep fit. The easiest way is to walk to your office instead of riding a bike or taking a bus. You also have to take a routine physical check - up. Your doctor will know the condition of your body most clearly, and he will give you the most valuable advice to keep fit. You should always try to make yourself happy. If you feel happy, you can eat well, sleep well, and your body is sure to be in an excellent condition.
Health is the most valuable possession a person expects in his life. Try every means to keep fit is my advice to the people who want to live a happy life in this beautiful world.
Cinema and Television
A survey has been conducted in the United Kingdom about cinema admissions and television licenses over the period 1957 to 1974. The purpose of the survey was to discover the changes of the popularity of cinema and television in this period.
According to the graph, it can be seen that the trend was towards a decrease in the popularity of the cinema. There was a dramatic fall in the number of cinema admissions from 1957, when about 900 million people went, to 1959, when the attendance figure was roughly 550 million. From 1959 to 1963 the rate of decrease slowed down, the figure for the latter year being about 350 million. From this year on, there was a more gradual reduction in the popularity of the cinema, reaching a figure of about 125 million in 1974.
Therefore, it can be concluded from the graph that over the period 1957 to 1974 the cinema admissions became lower and lower while the television viewing licences became higher and higher owing to the advantages of watching television at home than going out to the cinema though it does not show directly in the graph.
Good Manners
Good manners are very important in the communication of daily life. Everyone likes a person with good manners. But what are good manners? How does one know what should do and what should not do when trying to be a good - mannered person?
Well, here are some common examples. A person with good manners never laughs at a people in trouble. Instead, he (she) always tries to consult or offer help to the person. When he (she) takes a bus and sees an old man or a sick man, he (she) always gives his (her) seat to him. He doesn't interrupt other people when they are talking. He uses a handkerchief when he sneezes or coughs. He does not spite in public places.
Ideas of what are good manners are not always the same in different regions. For example, people in Western countries usually kiss each other to show their greetings, whereas in China, kissing in public is something of unusual and sometimes be regarded as impolite to somebody else. So it is important to know what is regarded as polite and impolite before you go to a region. But remember that it is always right to be kind and helpful to others.
Read Extensively
Reading plays a very important part in human life. Every day we get in touch with reading something. We have a lot of things to read in our lives, such as books, magazines, newspapers, and even adver, tisement papers distributed everywhere. Through reading we can get a lot of useful information, for example, the latest news of our country and the world.
Nevertheless, people's interests in reading vary considerably. Some people like reading novels. Some people like reading essays. Some other people may prefer reading magazines or newspapers.Here,what I want to emphasize is that no matter what you are interested in, you should read ektensively.
I have my reasons for it. First, we are living in a society full of information. We should make ourselves well- informed in order to keep up with the steps of our society. Reading extensively is an efficient method of acquiring information. Second, we need many kinds of skills in our lives. Reading extensively can help us learn those skills so that we can live more comfortably in the world. The more extensively you read, the more skills you can get. Third, we have a lot of decisions to make each day. Sometimes, we may feel difficult to make a correct decision. Reading extensively can help you understand the world you live in, and therefore, help you to make a clever decision in a difficult situation. Fourth, reading extensively can help you enlarge the range of your knowledge so that you can communicate with others more freely. You will find something to say when you talk with your friends no matter what topic you are talking about.
There are some other advantages of reading extensively. Because of the significance of extensive reading, you should begin to do so immediately. If you have determined to read extensively from now on, you are sure to be able to find a lot of books you are interested in, and the time to read them. Your life will become much more meaningful and substantial than before.
Today's Luxuries Are Tomorrow's Necessities
By "luxury", we mean "a pleasant and often expensive thing that is not necessary". From a historical point of view, things which Were a luxury when they first came into being all became necessities later. When the electric bulb was first invented in the U.S., it was such a luxury that only government bodies could afford to use it. Nowadays, however, it has reached every part of the world. It is the same case with telephone, TV, and a lot of others, which were all luxuries years ago.
Anything, no matter how luxurious it is, will become a necessity when it is widely used. This is true of many of the present luxuries, including mobile phones, cars, computers and many other things. It is known to all that the purpose of the development of science is to make things easy for the mankind, not for only a small number of people. Therefore, the first thing to do after a new invention occurs is to spread it so as to benefit as many people as possible. In the course of the spread, the luxury becomes decreasingly luxurious until in the end it becomes a necessity. This is an objective law, nothing can be an exception.
With the quick development of science and technology, the process for many things to become a necessity from a luxury will be greatly shortened. Anything that can be imagined will be invented and in no time becomes a necessity accessible to ordinary people.
Modesty
Modesty is one of the many qualities that cross - century young people should possess. It makes you foresee your imperfections. It gives you the impetus to go forward. Most important of all, it makes you accessible and creates favorable conditions for you in interpersonal contacts.
However, many young people do not seem to realize the importance of modesty. Some of them just feel satisfied with a little success, without the slightest desire to make further progress. Others have too high an opinion of themselves, totally ignoring other people' s suggestions and advice. Consequently, their immodesty often drives them up against the wall. Worst of all, immodesty takes many young people away from their colleagues and friends. Therefore they find fewer people with whom they can confide.
For you to be modest, the first thing to do is to have a full understanding of your deficiencies. No matter who you are and no matter how talented you are, you are unlikely to be all - powerful. In fact, you will always, in spite of your talents, find things about which you feel helpless.
Besides, you should also admit other people's strong points and try your best to learn from them. If you keep these two points in mind, you are on the right path to developing modesty.
The Importance of Physical Exercise
Everyone hopes to live happily in the world. Physical exercise is indispensable to a happy life. There is a famous saying: "Life lies on exercise." Although you will not necessarily die without regular physical exercises, they' II certainly help you live longer and more healthily.
Exercise is good for us to build our bodies. It helps co - ordinate the different parts of our bodies when we have sports. For example, we must try our best to co - ordinate the movements of the arms and legs when we play basketball, or we won't be able to shoot the basket. Exercise also benefits our organs. It lets the heart beat faster than usual, and then helps enlarge the blood vessels to protect us from heart attacks.
Exercise can also contribute to the development of our ability to response agilely. For instance, when you play table- tennis, you must try to reflect as quickly as you can so that you may fight back at the right position at the fight moment.
Exercise can also contribute to improving our mood. When you do exercise, you move a lot, and you have to be more active. It helps you become more optimistic.
Exercise will fill your life with various contents and make it more colorful.
What's more, exercise will help you get rid of your inertia. If you keep doing exercise regularly, you will never be a lazy person. Therefore, exercise has great effect on one's character.
In a word, exercise is helpful, important and absolutely necessary.
Air-conditioners
In recent years, the air- conditioner has become one of the many indispensable electrical appliances for thousands upon thousands of families, especially those in the south, where the intense heat overwhelms the earth throughout the summer. The advantages of the air- conditioner are self - evident. Armed with the ability to refrigerate, the air- conditioner makes you feel refreshing and comfortable no matter how hot it is outside. Thus it guarantees the efficiency of your work and the quality of your rest. Without it there would be no knowing what would happen to you in the dog days. Moreover, it can also create a proper condition in summer for the operation of computers -- the best friends of yours in the information age. Too high a temperature would make computers work improperly, causing much inconvenience for your daily life and work.
With all the advantages the air- conditioner offers, its disadvantages are also obvious. To begin with, the installment of the air - conditioner always involves the hole making in the wall, which undoubtedly makes the wall less pleasing to the eye than if not. Besides, the air- conditioned environment may make you more and more dependent on the air - conditioner, thus physically weakening your ability to cope with hot weather. Most important, the air - conditioned environment provides poor ventilation, and sometimes may even give rise to a strange kind of smell, which makes you feel dizzy and sick. Consequently, you will be in no mood for enjoying the cool air produced by the air- conditioner.
All things considered, I think its advantages outweigh its disadvantages. Actually, nothing in the world is perfect. It is unwise to make light of the favorable aspects of a thing on account of its unfavorable aspects. The same is true of the attitude you take towards the air - conditioner.
Reading- The Best Means to Acquire knowledge
Knowledge may be acquired through many ways. One way of getting knowledge is from traveling Another way is by conversation, especially one with a great man. A person may also become knowledgeable through other ways such as listening to the radio or watching television. The best way to acquire knowledge, however, is through reading.
Reading as a means of obtaining knowledge has a number of advantages over many other ways. To begin with, it is the most consistent way of getting knowledge. One can read regularly but few people can travel in the same way. Secondly, reading can ensure a thorough grasp of what you are interested in. This is hardly so when one is listening to the radio or watching TV. Finally, reading is the most flexible of all the ways to obtain knowledge. For example, one can always read for ten minutes before going to bed, but it is not always possible for him to converse with others at such a late hour.
However, there exists one problem about reading. There are all kinds of Books in society. Some are good, while others are bad. 'Good books are beneficial to our .soul while bad ones are harmful to our mind. Therefore, it is of great irnportance for the reader to separate good plants from wild weeds. We should read good books and reject harmful ones.
Unemployment
Unemployment is viewed as the number one problem in China now and the government has launched a major attack on the problem.
The steps the government has taken to deal with unemployment are' as follows. Firstly, unemployment fund has been established to help the unemployed workers to support themselves. Secondly, the unemployed receive vocational training, which is expected to pay off in the short term and give the unemployed an advantage in the job market. It is due to the lack of professional skills that these workers have lagged behind in the society. These training programs aim to equip the workers with some special skills, such as typing, sewing, and cooking. Finally, psychological advice is also available, since unemployment, apart from exerting financial pressures, brings enormous psychological discomfort. With the advice, the unemployed will learn how to adapt to the fierce competition in the technological age.
With the joint efforts of the government and the society, we are optimistic that we can win the current war on unemployment.
Value of Knowledge
In the Information Age, public awareness of the value of knowledge critically affects the economic growth of a nation. The schematic diagram clearly shows how the value of knowledge evolved in China in the past 50 years.
The schematic diagram mainly consists of three parts. From 1950 to 1966, the curve was roughly a straight line slightly above zero, showing that China was a poorly-educated nation then. In 1966, the curve drastically dropped below zero, moving down hopelessly in the next 11 years. This periodcoincided with the "Culture Revolution". Our society went mad then, books were burned,schools were closed and all kinds of academic activities were banned. Knowledge inflicted its masters nothing but disasters. Life was a nightmare for Chinese intellectuals, including famous scholars as well as common people who received higher education or whose profession had anything to do with knowledge. It was a time when ignorance was a virtue and knowledge was a crime. People tried desperately to be away from knowledge. As a result, China lagged farther behind the rapid progressing world. This was the darkest time in the history of New China. The curve returned to its original non-zero position around 1978 and moved up but slowly. From 1984 on, it has been shooting up. The open-up policy encourages people to study and to channel their knowledge to the market economy. Millions of Chinese are bettering off by means of their knowledge and more Chinese enjoy the fruits of knowledge and say goodbye for good to poverty that haunted them for generations.
As our world is rapidly advancing towards the Information Age, increasing number of people realize that knowledge is power and creativity is everything. Only when China becomes a better educated nation, can China be a great nation with international prestige.
Annual Expenses on Learning English
It is well known that English learning is fairly important to the student, but also it is a money hunter. The Graph of Annual Expenses aims to show us the fact that daily study has constituted a yearly large sum of money. That is, students are, day by day, challenging the knowledge from a sea of reference hooks, cassette tapes, CDs and even VCD.
Buying books is always the biggest sum of a student's expense, which has ranged from 10 to 60 RMB yuan during the latest decades. What' s more evident, it can be found in 1999 that VCD is beneficial for students to better their English. Perhaps VCD may help students to improve listening comprehension. Therefore, they have spent 50 RMB yuan to buy VCD.
No one can deny the fact that CDs have something to do with learning English. In most situations, they are helpful to improve our understanding of foreign cultures, which are often considered difficult and tedious for students to learn form the textbooks. Compared with this, listening tapes is rather boring, so in 1999 a student spent less than 20 RMB yuan to buy tapes.
However, much money does not mean obtaining a better acquisition of a foreign language. In a long run, I am determined to make full use of available tools to master English, and try to make all the books, CDs, VCDs well - worth their expenses.
Dietary Changes and Health Care
As is shown in the graph, China's food distribution has taken great changes from 1960's to 1990's Acocrding to this statistics of cereals, vegetable, meat, and fruits, the number of those who eat rice, flour or vegetable has greatly decreased in the past four decades. In contrast of this the number of those who eat oil or meat has sharply increased. From such dietary changes, we can perceive the rapid improvement of our people' s living standard.
Why does this improvement occur? The direct reason is the fact that the Chinese people have attached much importance to their health care. Nationally, China's economic growth is booming, and more people are getting richer. Inpidually, everyone's consumption of food is increasingly varied. In particular, most of people are reluctant to eat much vegetable, but much meat and oil in their diets.
In my view, the changes of China's dietary distribution seem to be both positive and negative. The positive aspect is that China' s economical growth has given rise to the higher level of dietary standard, with most of people living rich and happy. But the negative aspect is that, I'm afraid, less eating vegetable will lead to poorer health, such as lacking vitamin nutrients in one's body. Therefore, we think it necessary for the Chinese to be aware of the balanced diets: Both vegetable and meat, which may gain us healthier bodies in the new century.
