Despite rising education levels and the convenience of buying books online, Chinese of every age are reading less and less these days, according to an analysis released by Chinese Academy of Press and Publication. The following article gives detail information of this phenomenon. Read it carefully and write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
While the supply of books has exploded in China in recent decades, people’s interest in them has not kept up. According to a survey result published by the Chinese Academy of Press and Publication in February, Chinese people read 4.39 books per capita in the past year, a figure that trails far behind major developed countries. And, on average, Chinese people allocated just over 15 minutes a day to reading, compared to almost 100 to watching television and over 45 for using the Internet.
Why are the Chinese turning away from reading books? The question has prompted soul-searching among the country’s intellectuals. Zhang Lijia, a freelance writer based in Beijing, reminisced fondly about people’s passion for reading: “I often had get-togethers with friends where we talked about politics and discussed the books we were reading,” she recalled. “There was such a strong spirit of inquiry.” That spirit disappeared, Zhang says, by China’s single-minded pursuit for economic prosperity, which has left its people with little regard for anything else. “People are too restless, too utilitarian,” she reflected. “You need some peace in mind in order to be able to sit down with a book.”
Zhang’s opinion is echoed by a number of longtime professionals in the book industry, who, since the early days of the industry’s market-driven reform, have kept close watch of the public’s changing preference in books. Some of them point out that in addition to turning away from books, Chinese people have also abandoned more serious and intellectually enriching stories in favor of easy reads. “In the last decade, best-sellers in China have less intellectual content and have become increasingly practical,” said He Xiongfei, a well-known publisher of popular books since the early 1990s. Best sellers in China today, He says, consist mainly of “child-rearing manuals, cookbooks, health and fitness guides, test-preparation books, thrillers, and romance novels.”
Chinese people now have flocked to the Web for more light-hearted fare. According to a 2012 report from the China Internet Network Information Center, almost 200 million Chinese read online literature, although the term lacks a clear definition. A survey by the Chinese research firm iResearch shows that the ten most popular Chinese literature websites receive a total of 12.2 million visitors on an average day. These websites run the gamut of genres, from romance and horror to science fiction and fantasy, and reader interest helps carve them into more specific niches, like military fantasy novels, “officialdom” literature, and stories about time travel. Some websites require readers to pay a small fee, usually less than 5 RMB (80 cents), to access the most popular serialized novels.
In the U.S., readers who used to buy physical books now flock to digital stores to find content. China’s online readers, however, are choosing e-books for precisely what print books lack: critical and realistic depictions of society, and, more often, a cheap form of escape that, not unlike video games and television, offers them a refuge from the complications and concerns of the real world.
The idea of paying students for good grades is a very controversial’ subject. Some say this is a good incentive that will encourage students to improve their grades. Others say it is morally wrong and will send students the wrong idea. The following is a new report on a study for a pay-for-performance program. Read it carefully and write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
Back in the day, a good report card earned you a parental pat on the back, but now it could be money in your pocket. Experiments with cash incentives for students have been catching on in public-school districts across the country, and so has the debate over whether they are a brilliant tool for hard-to-motivate students or bribery that will destroy any chance of fostering a love of learning. Either way, a rigorous new study—one of relatively few on such pay-for-performance programs—found that the programs get results: cash incentives help low-income students stay in school and get better grades.
According to a study by the social-policy research group MDRC, cash incentives combined with counseling offered “real hope” to low-income and nontraditional students at two Louisiana community colleges. The program for low-income parents, funded by the Louisiana Department of Social Services and the Louisiana Workforce Commission, was simple: enroll in college at least half-time, maintain at least a C average and earn $1,000 a semester for up to two terms. Participants, who were randomly selected, were 30% more likely to register for a second semester than were students who were not offered the supplemental financial aid.
Students offered cash incentives in the Louisiana program didn’t just enroll in more classes; they earned more credits and were more likely to attain a C average than were nonparticipants. And they showed psychological benefits too, reporting more positive feelings about themselves and their abilities to accomplish their goals for the future.
Although U.S. college enrollment has climbed, college completion rates have not. Only a third of students who enroll in community colleges—which educate nearly half the undergraduates in the U.S.—get a degree within six years.
Despite the study’s impressive, although short-term results, some critics in higher education are concerned that cash incentives will encourage students to start taking easier courses to ensure they’ll do well enough to pocket the money. “Everyone knows what the gut classes are when you’re in college,” notes Kirabo Jackson, an assistant professor of labor economics at Cornell who has studied cash incentives for high school students. “By rewarding people for a GPA, you’re actually giving them an impetus to take an easier route through college.” Other critics note that students’ internal drive to learn may be drained as they focus on getting an external reward.
Arnel Cosey, vice president of New Orleans’ Delgado Community College, says she understands why some people are concerned that cash incentives are nothing more than bribery. But she says, “If that’s what we need to do for these people to reach these goals, which ultimately will lead to them having a better life, I wish I had more money to give.”
Besides, as Cosey adds, if all goes well, students will be getting cash incentives for their work soon after graduating—in the form of a paycheck. “Most of us wouldn’t turn up at work every day if we weren’t getting a check,” she says. “What’s wrong with starting the payment a little early?”
Nowadays, the development of online bookstores has posed a threat to numerous physical bookstores. In terms of merits and demerits of these two sorts of bookstores, different people hold different opinions. The fallowings are opinions on which kind of bookstore is the better. Read them carefully and write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
Gil Haylon, a bookstore owner
We live in a society where everyone wants things now. With a physical bookstore, once you purchase a book, you can immediately start reading it. With an online bookstore, it can take days or even weeks for the book you have ordered to be shipped to your house.
At an online bookstore, it is not always easy to tell if you want to buy the book. You will get a summary of course, and if you are lucky you will be able to read an excerpt of a few pages. However, in a physical bookstore, you can skim through the book. The pages of the book you can read to see if you like the book is not limited to a chapter. Sometimes it takes more than an excerpt to find out if you want to read a book.
Chih-Peng Chu, a professor of National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan
Some people are lazy and don’t want to go to the store. This is exactly why physical bookstores are better. Online bookstores are encouraging people to be lazy when it does not take much effort to go to a bookstore. For some people, going to a bookstore physically may be the only exercise they get.
Some people don’t even have computers or any other device that would enable them to buy books online. You do not need any special equipment to shop at a bookstore. In physical bookstores, you get to read the books right away, while with online bookstores it could take even weeks. These things would also make a physical bookstore more convenient.
If people don’t have time to shop at a physical bookstore, then how do they have time to shop at an online bookstore? Yes, for some people this may be because the physical bookstore is further away. However, it is very unlikely that you will never go to a region with a bookstore. After all, if you are on a big shopping trip in a city, why not stop by at the bookstore on the way? This is simply to prove that people do have time to shop at physical bookstores. Even those with a busy schedule can find time.
Lynn Neary, a correspondent of NPR
Online bookstores are more convenient. My parents never have time to take me to an actual bookstore, so I buy most of my books online. In our technologically advanced society, most books seem to be bought online. It’s easier for those with a busy schedule or even those that are just too lazy to go to a store.
Mihir Patkar, a tech writer
Buying books online and having them shipped is outdated. Now people just find the book they want, buy it online, and can read it anywhere they take their phone, laptop, or kindle. The search option and the category selection makes finding books easier, plus they have a far wider selection of books than a physical bookstore could ever have. I’ll admit that, for book nerds like me, a physical book and the bookstores that sell them is like heaven. The feeling of opening a fresh book for some unknown adventures is addicting.
According to a recent survey of Chinese women, a majority of mothers born after 1990 want to be stay-at-home moms. Many women are aware of the challenges of motherhood, especially when they have to juggle a full-time job outside home. Which is worthwhile, being a full-time working or a stay-at-home mom? The following are opinions on this issue. Read the excerpts carefully and write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
Catherine (China)
I love being a stay-at-home mom. In the beginning it was truly rough for me from being a workaholic to staying at home. Yet, I did not want my child to face growing up with both parents at work. So after discussing it with my husband, we decided that I would be the one to stay at home. Now, our daughter is soon to be 3 years old, and has an amazing personality. It’s not for everyone but it is very rewarding in the long run.
Sassy (Canada)
Taking care of children is a temporary job, and children will grow up and leave. The longer women are out of the workplace the harder it is to enter it. Women need to realize and accept that you do not want to be dependent on anyone for basic food, clothes or shelter. It has been hard to work and take care of my kids but I make it work.
Cynthia (US)
Some days I think we shouldn’t give up our careers. And some days I’m jealous of the moms who get to stay home or at least work part time. I’m the breadwinner so that will never be an option for me. I have the career and title I’ve always wanted but now I can’t help but think it’s at the expense of precious time with my family.
Celina (US)
Being a stay-at-home mom isn’t always easy, but it is worth it! I wouldn’t trade staying at home with my kids for anything in the world. Being there with my children means they are getting the exact love and care I want them to have. We do not have a lot of money, but we’ve sacrificed to make it possible. The benefit for our children and our family, for us, outweighs any sacrifice.
Brittany (UK)
It never crossed my mind to be a stay-at-home parent. My mom was an amazing role model. If mom never works (out of the house like dad does) then what example does that set? Other than one day I can grow up and stay at home! Parents need to teach their kids work ethic. That simply can’t happen if one parent is at home full time.
LuvuJus (Australia)
I am a working mom, with a 6 year old and a 3 year old boys. I treasure both my family life and work life. I am very competitive so working gives me confidence that I think makes me a “better” mom and role model to my 2 boys.
Danireich (UK)
I think what matters is happiness in whatever path that you’ve chosen. It really depends on what is best for you and your family. I am a stay-at-home mom and the main reason is that it makes me happy to take care of my child and see them grow right before my eyes. I want to be there every time they need me and my love. I don’t think working is best for me because I would not be able to concentrate and be productive at work thinking of my child. Everyone is different. The important thing is you’re happy and won’t regret your decision now and forever.
The following two excerpts are about school uniform, a uniform that is worn by students primarily for a school or otherwise educational institution. From the excerpts, you can find that school uniforms have both supporters and opponents.
Write an article of NO LESS THAN 300 words, in which you should:
Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
Write your article on ANSWER SHEET FOUR.
Excerpt 1
It is difficult to trace the origins of uniforms as there is no comprehensive written history but rather a variety of known influences. Although uniforms can often be considered conservative and old-fashioned, uniforms in recent years have changed as societal dress codes have changed. Little is known prior to the nineteenth century about uniforms, but there certainly are influences dating back to the 13th century. In 1222, the Archbishop of Canterbury ordered monks to wear a specific monastic form of dress. Despite this example, the roots of the modern day uniform come mostly from the collegiate uniforms in England. Universities, primary schools and secondary schools used uniforms as a marker of class and status, which in turn served as a boundary. As early as the sixteenth century, uniforms were utilised and became more specific as various fashion trends became undesirable to the university.
Traditionally favored by private institutions, school uniforms are being adopted by US public schools in increasing numbers. Almost one in five US public schools required students to wear uniforms during the 2011-2012 school year, up from one in eight in 2003-2004. Mandatory uniform policies in public schools are found more commonly in high-poverty areas.
Proponents say that school uniforms make schools safer for students, create a “level playing field” that reduces socioeconomic disparities, and encourage children to focus on their studies rather than their clothes.
Excerpt 2
The opposing side of uniforms have claimed their ineffectiveness using a variety of justifications, a variety of which have research supporting them. Some of the cons to school uniforms include the following concerns: The primary concern with school uniforms or strict dress codes is that it limits the a-bility of the student to express themselves. Clothing is viewed as a mean of expression. Making all students wear the same clothes or limiting them to what they can wear can disrupt their sense of identity. Another negative aspect of school uniforms is that it may have a detrimental effect on students’ self-image. When students have to wear the same outfits, rather than being allowed to select clothes that suit their body types, they can suffer embarrassment at school. Child and teen development specialist Robyn Silverman said that students, especially girls, tend to compare how each other looks in their uniforms: “As a body image expert, I hear from students all the time that they feel it allows for a lot of comparison… So if you have a body that’s a plus-size body, a very tall body, a very short body, those girls often feel that they don’t look their best.”