GRE作文6分教学博客

tesolchinaUID：2191404

iori189_bu8 发表于 2014-12-3 01:21
老师推荐一些书吧

北美范文的issue可以看看
李建林的5.5千万不要看 里面各种硬伤  
凡是讲argument如何攻击谬误的书或者帖子 一律无视
这种说法完全不符合ETS的要求 完全是不负责任的误导

tesolchinaUID：2191404

1．申请人id：tesolchina

2．申请论坛名称:GRE作文互动论坛

3．自我介绍及申请理由
目前在香港某大学英语系读博，从事英语写作教学研究，博士论文的其中一部分关注中国学生GRE写作考试的应试策略、问题及教学方案。今年8月曾参加GRE考试，10月开始在版面开展列提纲互改活动，吸引了70多位版友加入互改小组

4．平均每天上网时间
每天工作8小时，全程在线，每天在寄托上至少1小时

5．自我专长以及管理方面的优势
我有近十年的英语写作教学经验，对GRE写作教学情有独钟，同时愿意义务指导版友，也希望能探索出更有效的教学方法。另外，我有一定的计算机知识，希望寄托能建立更有效的写作互改平台。

6．版务构想：
由于目前不是考试高峰，版面人气不高。希望能够在下一轮考试高峰到来前，和其他版主一起探索出一个有效的互改模板和流程，帮助更多的版友考到好的GRE作文成绩。另外，版面上有同学还在借鉴老G的材料、未能摆脱老G思维，我们有必要提醒。   

7. 推荐人
HJ? Sherry?

tesolchinaUID：2191404

Argument 26 28
感觉自己库存的范文越来越少了
要赶紧写几篇

A recently issued twenty-year study on headaches suffered by the residents of Mentia investigated the possible therapeutic effect of consuming salicylates. Salicylates are members of the same chemical family as aspirin, a medicine used to treat headaches. Although many foods are naturally rich in salicylates, food-processing companies also add salicylates to foods as preservatives. The twenty-year study found a correlation between the rise in the commercial use of salicylates and a steady decline in the average number of headaches reported by study participants. At the time when the study concluded, food-processing companies had just discovered that salicylates can also be used as flavor additives for foods, and, as a result, many companies plan to do so. Based on these study results, some health experts predict that residents of Mentia will suffer even fewer headaches in the future.

Write a response in which you discuss what questions would need to be answered in order to decide whether the prediction and the argument on which it is based are reasonable. Be sure to explain how the answers to these questions would help to evaluate the prediction.


It is predicted that Mentia residents will suffer fewer headaches because the food companies are expected to use salicylates as flavor additives.  A number of questions about the nature of the chemical, its relation to headache, the preferences of Mentia residents and the plans of the food companies have to be answered in order to evlauate the predictions.

To begin with, we need to know whether salicylates can treat headache in a way similar to aspirin.  The mere fact that both chemicals belong to the same family does not mean that both chemicals would have same therauputic effects for headache.  If there is no direct evidence to prove that salicylates can treat headache, the prediction would become groundless.

The study has found a correlation between the use of salicylates and the reduction in headaches being reported.  The first question we need to ask about the study is whether the self-report method is reliable, i.e. whether or not the study participants can accurately recall the incidents of headaches they experienced.  If the data is not reliable, the results cannot be taken seriously.  In addition, we need to see if there are other factors that might lead to the reduction of reported headache cases.  For example, over the past 20 years, had aspirin or other drugs of similar effects become increasingly available and popular among the study participants? Did the participants change their diet or lifestyle that might have helped reduce headache?  As we all know, correlation does not imply causal relation.  More attention has to be paid to other related factors.

Now let's assume salicylates may in fact help reduce headache.  The next question is this: will Mentia residents benefit from the chemicals in the future.  Since the chemical has been used as preservatives, we need to ask if Mentia residents enjoy food that contain such preservatives.  Maybe people in Mentia prefer to eat fresh food; if this is the case, they may not have access to the chemical as food preservatives.

Another possible source of salicylates is food with salicylates as the flavor additives.  We do not know whether the food company would actually use the chemical as flavor additives despite their plans.  We need to know whether they can get approval from government authories such as FDA to use the chemicals.  We also need to take into account the costs of the chemical relative to other alternative additives.  Finally, we have to ask questions about consumers' taste to decide if the food with such additives will become popular, especially among Mentia residents.  Answers to all these questions may influence the companies' decisions on whether to use the chemical as favor additives and ultimately affect the accessibiliy of salicylates for Mentia residents.

A final question we need to address is about the demographics and the health conditions of Mentia residents.  Maybe the chemical can help treat headache to some extent.  But no chemical can magically cure all headaches.  If Mentia residents are ageing or suffer from certain disease conditions that cause headache, having the chemical food may not reduce the cases of headache in the long run.

In conclusion, a number of gaps in reasoning have to be filled in the prediction that fewer Mentia residents will suffer headache.  To evaluate the prediction, we need to answer all the questions discussed above by gathering more information about this issue.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

The greatness of individuals can be decided only by those who live after them, not by their contemporaries.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.


In human history great figures have been celebrated for their extraordinary achievements in various fields such as politics, sports, science and literature. Some people argue that it is difficult to assess the greatness of contemporary individuals due to the bias and near-sightedness that often cloud our judgment. In other words, greatness can only be determined from a historical perspective. I agree with this position as far as political leaders and writers are concerned. Nevertheless, in the fields of science and sports, greatness of scientists and athletes can be clearly recognised by their contemporaries.  

In the field of politics, it is often difficult to assess the greatness of a leader until the individual has passed away for at least 50 years. For one thing, people who are contemporaries of the political leaders often make their judgment under the heavy influence of their own political positions.  Neither republicans or democrats, for example, could evaluate the accomplishments of a contemporary US president without their partisan bias.  In addition, we have to wait for a number of decades to see the long-term effects of some of the decisions or policies a political leader made and then assess his/her greatness accordingly.  Richard Nixon was often remembered for his watergate scandal and subsequent disgraceful resignation. Yet, with the benefits of hindsight, we may better understand the significance of his 1972 visit to the Communist China in maintaining world peace in late 20th century.  

In the field of literature, despite the annual selection of outstanding authors for Nobel prize award, the greatness of authors can only be properly understood by people living after them.  One reason is that modern literature is often closely related to politics in such a way that contemporary critics cannot often review literary works without any ideological bias.  The 2000 Nobel prize-winning author Gao Xingjian, for example, was criticised by Chinese government for writing politically offensive novels and plays.  Is Gao a truly great writer? To answer this question we may have to wait for 100 years and see if future generations still find his work interesting and relevant.  Indeed, the best way to tell whether a literary work is great or not is to see if it can survive the test of time.  Consequently, the greatness of authors has to be probed from a historical perspective.  

While great political leaders and authors may be difficult to be recognised by their contemporaries, scientists and athletes can accomplish something that is truly extraordinary.  Since scientific theories can often be applied to develop useful engineering solutions, its impact on contemporary human society can often be properly assessed.  For example, the theory of relativity developed by Albert Einstein has been used to harness nuclear energy which has become a crucial power source for many countries around the world.  The atomic bombs developed based on his theory have also been used to end the bloody World War II.  Meanwhile, the greatness of elite athletes is also indisputable.  Michael Phelps who won over 8 gold medals in Beijing Olympics is clearly a genius in swimming.  Even if his accomplishment may be surpassed by another genius athlete someday in future, no one can deny he is still one of the greatest athletes in human history.  

Overall speaking, whether this statement is true or not depends on which fields we are talking about.  In areas such as political leadership and literature, the test of time is probably the most accurate assessment for greatness of individuals.  In fields such as science and sports, accomplishments of great figures can be easily determined by their contemporaries.  

tesolchinaUID：2191404

78) People’s attitudes are determined more by their immediate situation or surroundings than by society as a whole.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

11:22  

The society as a whole, the attitudes of individuals towards different issues and the immediate situation or environment interact with one another to create the complex human experience as we know it. In my opinion, our attitudes are fundamentally shaped by the society through education, media and government policies which also, to a large extent, determine the situation and surroundings in which we find ourselves.  

Education is an important social institution that determines our attitudes as well as our social environment. Take the simple example of priority seating in public transportations. As schoolchildren, we learned the social etiquette of offering our seats to those in need, e.g. pregnant or sick passengers. Such practices are encouraged in our education based on the golden rule: “Treat people the way you want to be treated.” Our attitudes towards our fellow passengers are shaped by this belief developed through education. Meanwhile, the society would also make sure the environment reflects the same principle that is consistent with our attitudes. Priority seats are clearly marked in buses and subway trains to remind us this social etiquette.  In other words, the society would first shape our attitudes and then design our environment that would facilitate the related practices.  

Our attitudes are also determined by the society via the mass media and the corporates. This is particular true in today’s consumer-oriented society. Through extensive advertising campaigns, we are brainwashed into the belief that we need all the luxurious products and services to be happy. We come to believe that our value as human beings is determined by the material goods we buy as advertised in the media. Meanwhile, the society would shape our environment in such a way that shopping and buying these items are effortless. The Amazon’s 1-click ordering, for example, enables the online shoppers to place their orders with just one click without even confirmation.  Such arrangement in our surrounding, along with the advertising and promotion in the media, reinforces the attitudes we hold towards consumption.  

Finally, the society may also influence our attitudes through government policies. In recent years, gay marriages have become increasingly acceptable in American and European societies as the governments have adopted more lenient policies towards the civil unions or marriages of homosexual couples.  Despite the fierce opposition from certain social groups, the public attitudes towards gay marriages have gradually changed from hatred or reluctance to acceptance.  On the other hand, the changes in government policies also stimulate the industries for gay romance and wedding.  New products and services become increasingly available for homosexual couples to celebrate their relationships and bondings.  Again the social environment would respond to the shift in government policies and public attitudes.

In conclusion, I do not believe that our attitudes towards different issues are determined by our immediate surrounding. Rather, our attitudes are shaped by the larger society through institutions such as education, media and government, which, at the same time, would shape our social environment and make sure that it is in harmony with our attitudes and behaviours.

11:49

tesolchinaUID：2191404

Argument 114 116 117

The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of a food distribution company with food storage warehouses in several cities.

"Recently, we signed a contract with the Fly-Away Pest Control Company to provide pest control services at our fast-food warehouse in Palm City, but last month we discovered that over $20,000 worth of food there had been destroyed by pest damage. Meanwhile, the Buzzoff Pest Control Company, which we have used for many years, continued to service our warehouse in Wintervale, and last month only $10,000 worth of the food stored there had been destroyed by pest damage. Even though the price charged by Fly-Away is considerably lower, our best means of saving money is to return to Buzzoff for all our pest control services."

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

0:35
In the memo, it is argued that Buzzoff should be selected over Fly-away as the pest control service provider to reduce pest damage.  In order to assess the conclusion, we need more evidence about the past performance of the two companies, the two warehouses and detailed costs of pest control and projected loss.

It is over simplistic to conclude that Buzzoff is more effective in pest control than Fly-away based on the fact that the loss at Buzzoff site is smaller than the warehouse served by Fly-away.  One important factor to consider is the total value of the goods stored in the two warehouses.  With this information, we can then calculate the percentage of loss relative to the total value and assess the effectiveness of the two pest control services.  Another issue we need to consider is the different kinds of pests and food found in the two warehouses.  Maybe Fly-away has lost more goods simply because the pests they need to handle are more challenging or the food is more vulnerable.  More detailed comparative analysis is needed before drawing a conclusion.

In addition, it is inadequate to compare just one month’s record of servicing one warehouse.  To get a more comprehensive picture of the competence of the two companies, we need to review the pest control records of the two companies in the past 10-20 years.  We should get as much data as possible about how the two companies performed in pest control in order to predict the loss of food caused by pest if a given company is hired.

Finally, we also need more precise information about the pricing of the two companies and other costs such as human resources required to cooperate with the companies.  With more detailed information about the prices and other costs, along with the predicted loss, we can then decide which company could provide the least costly services.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

64) The human mind will always be superior to machines because machines are only tools of human minds.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.


value judgment - search engine
emotion - robot nurse
creativity - corpus linguistics  



With the advancement in electronic engineering and artificial intelligence, machines embedded with microprocessors have become increasingly intelligent with the abilities to perform a wide variety of tasks that only humans could perform in previous decades.  Some people predict that in the foreseeable future machines will become smarter than humans as the speed of CPU increases exponentially.  I believe that human mind will always be superior to machines because of our abilities of making value judgment, processing information emotionally and creating new ideas.  

To begin with, human minds will always surpass machines in making decisions because we can make judgment based on our experiences and value systems.  When we read a book, for example, we can not only process the information presented in the book through reading comprehension. We can also decide how valuable the information is relative to the books or other materials we have read before.  This ability of making value judgment is almost impossible for machines to learn because developing a value system of human minds is a cumulative and mysterious process that we do not understand very well. Therefore, it is very difficult to build a machine to emulate this ability. In fact, the search engines such as Google rely on the human judgement on the value of webpages to find the most relevant information for each search.  In other words, machines can always be used to keep track of the value judgments made by human minds; but they cannot make the judgements themselves.  

Another important function of human minds that machines can hardly develop is the ability to process information emotionally. Digital computers are built based on sophisticated mathematical models that are efficient in processing information logically and rationally. But when it comes to information that involves human emotion, the logical approach to information processing cannot go very far.  For example, with built-in high-resolution camera and microphone, a machine can be used to monitor a baby and alert the parents when the baby cries. Maybe with more advanced technologies in natural language processing, one can even build a robot to interact with a baby, understanding its rudimentary language and talking back a bit.  But it would be impossible for a machine to interact with the baby at emotional level, e.g. to understand the body language of the baby that carry infinite amount of emotional information that only the parents can possibly comprehend.  Again, machines such as baby monitors can help human minds to collect certain information but can never replace human care providers.  

Finally, human minds have the ultimate ability of creating new ideas that machines cannot develop even with the most advanced algorithms.  Take the process of writing academic papers as an example. With the Internet and the database technologies, scholars nowadays can access numerous journal articles that form the basis for writing new articles.  But scholars also need to identify the gap in the literature and develop research ideas to pursue through rigorous research projects before they can write up a report as a journal article. Some people have invented tools like SCIGen to create journal articles automatically. But this tool can only generate articles based on published works that are not original and do not contribute to the process of knowledge construction.  

In conclusion, it is clear that in the foreseeable future machines can never overtake human minds in making decisions and creating new knowledge because we humans have the unique capabilities of making value judgments, processing information emotionally and thinking creatively.  

tesolchinaUID：2191404

The following appeared in a magazine article about planning for retirement.

"Clearview should be a top choice for anyone seeking a place to retire, because it has spectacular natural beauty and a consistent climate. Another advantage is that housing costs in Clearview have fallen significantly during the past year, and taxes remain lower than those in neighboring towns. Moreover, Clearview's mayor promises many new programs to improve schools, streets, and public services. And best of all, retirees in Clearview can also expect excellent health care as they grow older, since the number of physicians in the area is far greater than the national average.”

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

According to the article, Clearview is an ideal place for retirement for a number of reasons. We need more information about Clearview to decide if this is indeed the case.  

To begin with, more evidence is needed to decide if the natural beauty and the consistent climate are suitable for retired people. For one thing, we need to know how accessible the natural beauty is in Clearview. If the natural beauty can only be enjoyed through hiking trips that are physically demanding, the place would not be very attractive for senior citizens. Also, being consistent in climate may not be good enough for life after retirement. As the elderly are often vulnerable to colds and common flu, it is important for have a mild climate. If Clearview has consistently inclement winters, one has to think twice before choosing it for retirement.

The author points out that the housing prices have fallen and taxes are lower than towns nearby.  But we also need to know the exact prices of the kinds of housing suitable for retired people and the tax rates that are applicable for people who are about to retire. Maybe the housing prices, despite the recent fall, are still unaffordable for the elderly. Or perhaps, even though the average housing prices in Clearview have decreased, the apartments for elderly had not become inexpensive.  Also, it is possible that taxes in Clearview are particularly heavy for retired people living on pension.  Therefore, we need more detailed information about Clearview tax system to decide if it is financially reasonable to move to Clearview for retirement.

The promises made by Clearview Mayor have to be regarded with some skepticism. It is easy for politicians to make all sorts of promises. But when it comes to materialize the promises, the mayor may have to persuade the local legislators for the funding.  We need to know if the mayor has a good relationship with the local legislator and whether the city government can afford the proposed new programs. Of course, we also need to look into the programs to see if they are actually relevant to the retired people.  If the programs are oriented to children or young people, Clearview would not be very attractive, either.

Finally, the above-average number of physicians is meaningless unless we take into account the number of people living in the region.  We need to calculate the physician-patient ratio to assess the availability of physicians. In addition, to better evaluate the quality of health care for retirees in Clearview, we need to look beyond the number of physicians in the area. We need information about a host of factors that would affect what level of health care a retiree can expect in Clearview. For example, among the physicians in the region, how many are experts in areas that the elderly are more likely to need care.  If more physicians in Clearview are paediatricians or gynaecologist, it would not be very helpful. On the other hand, if Clearview has a large number of gerontologists, maybe it is worth considering. Also, we need to know how expensive it is to see the doctors. It is pointless to have a large number of physicians if their services are not affordable.

In conclusion, information about Clearview as discussed above has to be collected to decide if the argument is convincing or not.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

2) To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

development and use of technologies

commercial activities

education system  

和116楼合并

tesolchinaUID：2191404

80) Nations should suspend government funding for the arts when significant numbers of their citizens are hungry or unemployed.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

10:56
The argument that funding for arts is not justifiable given the problems of hunger and unemployment is not reasonable when we consider the contribution of the funding to job creation, the little difference the funding could make to solving the problems and the long-term social benefits of arts.  

To begin with, the government funding for the arts can help create jobs that may alleviate the problems of unemployment and hunger. For example, when the government finances the construction of an art museum, it will create numerous jobs in buildings industry and help stimulate the local economy. With a stronger economy, the government can then receive more tax money to provide benefits for the society, including those suffering from poverty and hunger. Once the museum is built, it will further create more jobs, including those that require low-level skills, e.g. security guards.  The low-income people will then benefit from the project and these people are more likely to help those who suffer from poverty as they often come from the same socioeconomic class.  

In addition, this recommendation is not helpful when the problems of unemployment and hunger are so severe and widespread that the amount of funding for arts is insignificant, if not trivial, relative to the efforts required to address the problems. I do not have any quantitative data to present a more precise analysis. But intuitively it is safe to believe that we need far more resources to help those suffering from hunger and unemployment for which the funding for arts would not make much difference. In addition, we need to recognise that the problems of unemployment and hunger are not simple matters that can be solved with money alone. There are a host of institutional and economic problems causing unemployment and hunger that suspending funding for arts can barely help address.  

Finally, we should not overlook the long-term, unobtrusive benefits of arts for solving social problems such as unemployment and hunger. For one thing, people who are unemployed may find it helpful to spend some time in an art museum and find some emotional comfort in the art works. Government funding for such art projects would benefit unemployed people who may find hope and strength to move on in their lives. Meanwhile, art projects may address fundamental issues in human nature such as greed and anxiety that are the ultimate causes of unemployment and poverty. While funding for such projects may not help the unemployed or hungry people immediately, the art works may direct more public attention to the related issues and contribute to the development of long-term solutions.  

In conclusion, it is naive to assume that suspending the funding for arts can solve the problems of unemployment and poverty. In fact, government-funded arts have important short-term and long-term benefits for addressing both problems.  

11:16  

tesolchinaUID：2191404

The following appeared in a letter to the school board in the town of Centerville.
"All students should be required to take the driver's education course at Centerville High School. In the past two years, several accidents in and around Centerville have involved teenage drivers. Since a number of parents in Centerville have complained that they are too busy to teach their teenagers to drive, some other instruction is necessary to ensure that these teenagers are safe drivers. Although there are two driving schools in Centerville, parents on a tight budget cannot afford to pay for driving instruction. Therefore an effective and mandatory program sponsored by the high school is the only solution to this serious problem."
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.



The author of the letter argues that the only way to solve the problem of accidents involving teenage drivers is to introduce a compulsory program funded by Centervill High School.  We need to gather more information to examine a number of assumptions about the accidents, the parents, the driving schools and the high school in order to decide whether the argument is reasonable.

It is assumed that the problem of accidents involving teenage drivers is serious enough to justify the resources required to run the proposed program. The author mentioned that there were several accidents involving teenage drivers. But we do not know how serious the accidents were. Were there people killed or severely injured? Were automobiles involved completely destroyed? If the accidents were not serious enough, maybe it is not worthwhile to run an education program for all teenage drivers. In addition, we need to know the actual causes of the accidents in order to decide whether teenage drivers should be blamed.  Maybe the accidents were due to the mistakes made by adult drivers in the accidents.  Or they were due to mechanical failure.  In such scenarios, the education programs would not be helpful.  

Another assumption is that most parents were too busy to teach their children how to drive safely. According to the letter, some parents complained that they did not have the time. But we do not know how widespread the problem is among all the parents in Centerville. We need more information about how much time, in average, parents of teenage drivers in Centerville can afford to teach their children in order to assess the claim that parents could not help solve the problem.  

With regard to the driving schools, it is assumed that parents could not afford the instructions due to their tight budgets.  To examine this assumption, more information is required about the parents’ budget and how they perceive the needs to educate their children about driving safely. If the parents consider it essential to offer their children the instruction, maybe they will pay for the courses of the driving schools despite their tight budgets.

When the program is proposed, it is further assumed that Centerville school has the authority to require all students to take the course and the capabilities and funding to run an effective course.  Since driving may not be part of the school curriculum, it is not clear whether the school has the authority or power to make it compulsory for all students to take the course. In addition, we do not know if the school would have enough experience and human resources to run an effective program. Also, the Centerville school may not have enough funding to finance such a program.  Therefore, we need more information about all these issues to check the assumptions.  

Finally, it is assumed that the proposed program is the only solution to the problem. There are alternative solutions that need to be explored. For example, maybe the school could outsource the teaching jobs to one of the two driving schools in Centerville as they are more experienced in running such programs and may do so at lower costs.  And if the problem is due to some specific behavior issues such as drink and drive or speeding, more rigorous law enforcement could be another solution.  Without thoroughly investigating other possible solutions, it is unwise to accept the proposed program as the only solution.  

In conclusion, this mandatory program may be helpful for addressing the problem.  But we need to scrutinize the assumptions discussed above with more empirical data to evaluate the validity of the argument.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

57 The main benefit of the study of history is to dispel the illusion that people living now are significantly different from people who lived in earlier times.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.


I do not agree to this statement about how we can benefit from studying history because people nowadays are indeed very different from those in earlier times in terms of physiology and belief system. In addition, the educational value of studying history should not be ignored.

Due to the fundamental changes in lifestyles, modern people are significantly different from our ancestors in terms of the shape of our bodies and other aspects of our physiology. For one thing, in our industrialized society, with the access to abundant food, we do not need to spend most of our time hunting and gathering for food to survive. With more calorie intake and other nutritous food, we are in general healthier and taller than our ancestors and enjoy longer lifespan as well.  On the other hand, the sendantary lifestyle has also led to more health concerns such as high blood pressure and obesity that were unknown in earlier times.

Our belief systems have also been modernized since Industrial Revolution. In the pre-modern world, the social positions of our ancestors were often defined and fixed at the time they were born. Noblemen were born as noblemen and peasants's children were also peasants.  Our ancestors considered such social order as natural and acceptable. Nowadays, with the introduction of public education, modern society has become increasingly meritocratic. As monarchies were often replaced by democracies, people from humble socioeconomic classes may move upwards socially if they demonstrate their talents that the society need.

As I illustrate clearly above, the difference between us and our ancestors is not an illusion. Therefore, one of the benefits of studying history is to recognize and understand that difference and feel lucky and grateful for the more desirable human conditions. Nevertheless, the statement is also wrong in assuming that the study of history is only a matter of learning facts.

As far as I am concerned, a more important benefit of studying history is to better understand the modern world. As we know, history is not reconstruction of what happened in the past. In fact, it is nearly impossible to do that given the incomplete records of the past and our limited understanding of the world. Instead, history is a story we invented about the past that can help us better understand who we are and what we can do in modern society.  The study of Industrial Revolution, for example, would not give us a complete picture of how people in 18th and 19th century developed new technologies. But a better understanding of how steam engines changed the manufacturing industries will help us predict the impact of the Internet on modern industries.  Likewise, the study of WWII would warn political leaders nowadays about the dire consequences of industrialized warfares.

To reiterate my position, the statement is misleading in that we are indeed physiologically and ideologically different from our ancestors; in addition, the statement unnecessarily narrows the potential benefits of studying history.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

The following is a memorandum from the business manager of a television station.
"Over the past year, our late-night news program has devoted increased time to national news and less time to weather and local news. During this period, most of the complaints received from viewers were concerned with our station's coverage of weather and local news. In addition, local businesses that used to advertise during our late-night news program have canceled their advertising contracts with us. Therefore, in order to attract more viewers to our news programs and to avoid losing any further advertising revenues, we should expand our coverage of weather and local news on all our news programs."
Write a response in which you examine the stated and/or unstated assumptions of the argument. Be sure to explain how the argument depends on these assumptions and what the implications are for the argument if the assumptions prove unwarranted.


According to the business manager, in order to boost the number of viewers and increase advertising revenue, the station should increase the coverage of weather and local news. A number of assumptions have been made in this argument which we need to examine critically to decide if the argument is valid.  

To begin with, it is assumed that local businesses cancel their advertising because of the reduction of time for weather and local news. There are many other possible reasons why they have done so.  Maybe the overall economy is in recession and the businesses has to reduce their expenses by cancelling the advertising. Or maybe they are not happy with the design of the advertising or find the advertising rather ineffective.  If this is the case, the quality of the advertising has to be improved to address the problem.  In other words, if the assumption does not hold true, expanding the relevant sections would not help increase the advertising revenue.  

Another assumption is that the complaints about local news and weather are necessarily about the relatively short coverage of these topics.  Maybe the viewers are unhappy about the inaccuracy of the weather forecast on certain days and complain about it. Or perhaps the viewers do not like the reporting style of the anchors for local news. In fact, the complaints can be filed against many different aspects of the local news or weather reports and have nothing to do with the duration.  If the assumption about the complaints is incorrect, the argument would not be very strong.  

The final assumption made in this argument is about the reason why the station has lost viewers.  It is implicitly assumed that viewers are lost because of the reductio in local news and weather coverage. But there could be other reasons why the viewers stop watching the programs from the station. Maybe the quality of national news from the station is not very good or other sources of national news from the Internet are more informative or comprehensive. Even if the viewers are interested in national news, they may follow national news via other means. Again if the station lost viewers for reasons other than local news or weather, the proposed change would not make a difference.

In conclusion, more information needs to be gathered to examine the assumptions discussed above in order to evaluate the validity of the argument.

tesolchinaUID：2191404

28 The surest indicator of a great nation is represented not by the achievements of its rulers, artists, or scientists, but by the general welfare of its people.
Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

The extent to which I agree to this statement depends on how “greatness” of a nation is defined. While this is certainly a debatable issue, in this essay, I would define a great nation as one that made great contribution to the progress of human civilization or played important roles in contemporary world order.  On the flip side, I would not consider a nation great simply because people there enjoy a high standard of living. Based on my understanding of what makes a great nation, I would argue that the achievements of individuals are better indicator of a great nation.

Let me first explain why the second half of the statement is misguided. Take the alluent Noth European nations such as Finland and Iceland for example. In these nations, people in general enjoy a comfortable life with the per capita GDP ranking the top in the world. The governments of these nations provide considerable amount of benefits for their citizens such as free education, health insurance and retirement plans. Even those inmates serving in the prisons have access to amenities such as gyms and libraries that even free people in less developed countries do not enjoy.  But I do not believe that these nations deserve the label “great” as they are endowed with abundant natural resources such as fossil fuel to be able to afford the generous welfare to their citizens.

On the other hand, the achivements of individuals are closely related to the greatness of a nation as such achievements often made significant contribution to the development of human civilization. Ancient China is considered a great nation as it has produced brillian inventors that developed the technologies for making inexpensive paper. Likewise, the US will be remembered as a great nation in history with important figures in technologies such as Bill Gates, Steve Jobs and Mark Zukerberg whose accomplishments transformed how we communicated in modern society.  The examples of Ancian China and modern America illustrate the point that accomplishments of individuals are good indicators of great nations.

In addition, we can also assess the greatness of nations based on their contribution to conemporary international society. Despite its relatively small geographical size and atrocious crimes in World War II, Japan is still considered a great economic power considering the accomplishments of Japanese scientists and engineers.  Automobiles made in Japan are famous for their relatively low prices, efficiency and durability thanks to the ingenuity of Japanese engineers and designers of automobiles.  In addition, Japan also produced a dozens of Nobel prize winners in physics, chemistry and biology whose contribution to the respective fields advanced the modern sciences and technologies.  The case of Japan also supports my point that the accomplishments of individual scientists are better indicators of great nations in contemporary society.

In conclusion, I do not agree that the general welfare of people is better indicator of great nations as the welfare often depends on the availablity of natural resources rather than the efforts of the people there.  The accomplishments of individuals can reflect the greatness of nations as they have contributed to the historical progress of human civilization and the development of modern society.  

tesolchinaUID：2191404

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