14507 History
TOEFL Independent Writing Task
Essay Question: History Courses in Higher Education
Sample Answer by Jeenn Lee Hsieh 谢振礼 老师
ielts360toefl@hotmail.com 改写作文
Essay Prompt (20130929 China):
>Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? "University students should be required to take history classes even they are not part of the field of study." Use specific reasons and examples or details to suport your answer.
>Should history be a mandatory course to college students outside their major fields?
>All university students are required to take history courses, no matter what field they specialize in.
Outline:
>introduction: History should be a mandatory course to undergraduates for two reasons (1/2).
>body A: Reason 1. history is a bridge to other disciplines.
>body B: Reason 2. history teaches us to understand the present and face the future.
>conclusion: Reason 1+Reason 2=history as a course required in university curriculum.
Example Writing (Jeenn Lee Hsieh):
No matter what majors we specialize in, we should be required to take a history course to graduate from a university. Typically, in many universities, history is a Golden Rule course to help us make philosophical sense of our world in constant change. History should be a mandatory course to undergraduates for at least two reasons: 1. history is a bridge to other disciplines, 2. analyzing the memory of things said and done in the past can lead to better understanding of the present and getting better prepared to face the future.
1.) As a discipline, history is academically linked to other major fields of study, so in order to learn the other humanities and the sciences, we need a historical view. In higher education, besides being fun, history is a means of disseminating and comprehending the wisdom and folly of our forebears, and of fulfilling our desire to know and understand ourselves and our ancestors. It also allows us to vicariously experience countless situations, which stimulates imagination and creativity. Thus, through studying history, we are trained to read intelligently, think critically, and write effectively. This being the case, various aspects of history are associated with many disciplines, ranging from social studies to natural sciences. And probably this is why writers, artists, scientists, politicians and everyday people in all walks of life are conditioned by the historical milieu in which they lived.
2.) Studying history on the campus is a good opportunity to not only know about the past but also deal with the present and better face the challenges of the uncertain future. The different interpretations of the past allow us to see the present differently and therefore imagine--and work towards--different futures. By taking different history classes we can investigate and explain why society developed as it has and determine what influences have affected the past and present, and shape the future. Further, history guides us to look into the complexity of our world and to have insights to tackle the possible problems of the future. Moreover, studying history prepares us to live more humanely in the future by providing examples and warnings of the past. Remember what Confucius had said: "Study the past if you would define the future."
In the university curriculum, history is a bridge to other fields of study, so it should be a mandatory course to help students look backwards as well as forwards into the human civilization. Whether or not we consider the history course interesting or boring, it is necessary for students to get "C" or better to earn the transfer credits to get a degree. It is one more reason to attend history classes, is it not? (Jeenn Lee Hsieh, 谢振礼 ielts360toefl@hotmail.com pigai zuowen)
