托福范文系列 (Part 29)

　　1 PR Some people believe that students should be given one long vacation each year. Others believe that students should have several short vacations throughout the year. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

　　I like the idea of students having several short vacations throughout the year. I’m a working parent with two school-age children. Every summer I have to come up with a plan for keeping my children safe and entertained for three months, while my husband and I are at work. Summer camps are expensive, and finding the one your children will enjoy can be a challenge. Getting rid of that one long vacation would make life a lot easier.

　　Having several shorter vacations would also make it easier to schedule vacations. My husband and I both work in small offices with other working parents. All of us need vacation time during the same three months. This is hard on our businesses and our careers.

　　We also find that wherever we go in the summer, it’s crowded. It would be nice to go places throughout the year and find smaller crowds. I’m sure the attractions themselves would like that better, too. It would be better for the economy to spread things out, too.

　　I think my children would be more focused on their students if their vacation time was divided up throughout the year. The final month of the school year, they’re just not paying attention. They’ve been in school for nine long months and they don’t have a lot of energy. Plus , they’re anticipating vacation time. If vacations were throughout the year, they would concentrate better on studies.

　　Of course, many older school buildings aren’t air-conditioned, because usually people aren’t there during the hottest months. That might be a problem, I think, though, that new air-conditioning would be worth the cost. During the last few weeks of summer, my children are bored with their long vacation. I doubt that would happen if there were several vacations throughout the year.

　　2 PR Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment building? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

　　I know there are advantages to living in a modern apartment, but I'd prefer to live in a traditional house. My reason is that I love traditional design. It's graceful and warm and inviting. I think modern design is very empty and sterile and not very inviting. 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 isn't going to leak, the windows are properly sealed, and the kitchen appliances are in working order. A traditional house can't 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'm concerned. Very few new buildings have the kind of woods that were used years ago. It's something that can't 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've picked up in my travels. I also like to have interesting space. I don't 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.

　　3 PR Some people say that advertising encourages us to buy things that we really do not need. Others say that advertisements tell us about new products that may improve our lives. Which viewpoint do you agree with? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

　　The whole point of advertising is to encourage us to buy things we don't need. Advertisers are in the business of making money of themselves and their clients. If they manage to sell us something that's good for us too, that's fine. But their primary goal is profit.

　　It begins when we're children. Saturday morning children's television is full of commercials. Over and over again, children see images of toys and games. They see other children who are having the time of their lives. They watch these children and get the message that if they want to have that much fun, they need to buy those things. Thus, at a very early age, we're introduced to two ideas: that we want to be like everyone else, and we want to have what everyone else has.

　　This continues throughout our lives. We spend a lot of our money trying to keep up with our neighbors. We buy the latest model cars, have all the latest gadgets in our homes, and live a lifestyle beyond our budgets. Advertising encourages us to define ourselves by what we own rather than by who we are. It encourages a competition of false values and shallow measurements of what matters in our lives.

　　Advertising can be damaging. However, it is also one of the ways in which our economy keeps growing. People need to buy products in order for other people to have jobs manufacturing, transporting and selling those products. Advertising also keeps us informed about new products that may actually help us in some way. For these reasons, you could say advertising is a necessary evil.

　　4 PR Some people prefer to spend their free time outdoors. Other people prefer to spend their leisure time indoors. Would you prefer to be outside or would you prefer to be inside for your leisure activities? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

　　Enjoying Time with Mother Nature

　　If I had to choose where to spend my leisure time, I'd rather spend it outdoors. I spend all my working hours inside at a desk. When I have some free time, I want to completely change my environment. Getting outdoors gives me a new perspective and helps clear my mind.

　　Being outdoors gives me the opportunity to try new tings, see new sights, and meet new people. Staying indoors means reading a book or watching television. Sometimes it involves visiting with friends. Those are all relatively inactive. Being outdoors means a chance to stretch my mental and physical muscles. I can go hiking in an area I've never been before. I can go swimming or rafting on the river. I can go on a nature walk with a ranger and learn about flowers and trees. I can visit all the outdoor monuments in my city that I've never seen before. In each case, I'm doing something that help me relax while also enjoying the excitement of something new.

　　Of course, weather is a factor. I have a hard time functioning in extremely hot or cold weather and like to stay indoors when it's below freezing or the heat is scorching. At times like that, it's fun to sit inside with a good book or a good friend looking out at the weather and enjoying the comforts of home. But if the weather cooperates, it's fun to read that book outside on a park bench or go swimming with that friend.

　　Enjoying leisure time outdoors can also mean making new friends. Getting outside my own environment gives me the opportunity to meet new people. All in all, leisure time Is better when it's spent with Mother Nature rather that a television set.