issue160 第三次模考

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TOPIC: ISSUE160 - "The most essential quality of an effective leader is the ability to remain consistently committed to particular principles and objectives. Any leader who is quickly and easily influenced by shifts in popular opinion will accomplish little."
WORDS: 676
TIME: 上午 00:45:00
DATE: 2009-2-10

When running a presidential campaign, candidates from different parties are eager to show their abilities of faithful, insightful and decisive. Those traits that the candidates show indicate how the publics judge a qualified leader, and most importantly, suggest the essential qualities of leaders. Candidates hint their abilities via different ways. The expressing opinions to specific issues, however, is the most proliferated means for the public to understand their abilities. Thus, whether a leader remain consistently committed is often vital, but not always the priority. An effective leader should always benefit its people, regardless of the changing of opinions.

Above all, a consistent opinion commonly, if not always, benefits the civilians of the society. That is to say, a president of either America or China should be loyal to its people as well as the constitutions. When Yuan Shikai, the former president of Republic of China, challenged the then constitution of the nation early in last century based on his willing to govern the nation. China, accompanied with its civilians, faced dramatic social unrest, included wars and significant taxes. And his willing to change the constitution to be the king of China had finally lead to social recessions. As for the United States, consistent commitments also benefit its nation. After 9/11 attack, the Bush government declare wars against terrors, and never change his faith to protect the nation, even after critics inside the nation that his war costs too much. Anyway, the United States has never experience any attacks inside its nation, the civilians of the States are protected and his consistent policy benefits the America. In this respect, a political should hold its views constituently in certain areas and otherwise will hurt the country.

Nevertheless, remaining consistently committed to everything has its drawbacks and can hurt its people instead of benefit. Mao Zetong, after declare the Cultural Revolution in 1960s, remained his opinions to the 'holly revolution' that broke both the education and industrial system until his death in 1976. Even after hearing critics and suggestions from both home and abroad, Mao persisted his wrongdoing. The consequences associated with the revolution are that China experienced great social rescissions, both economically and mentally. Those who study history, creating arts or running business are strong discriminated and even banned. In this regard, unable the make changes, even against one's own opinions could also lead to social catastrophic.

Meanwhile, when Mao's holding his stubborn ideas towards the Cultural Revolution, president Nixon is about to make changes. His policies towards the P.R China came to a new era. After several secret meeting between representatives of both Mao and Nixon, the presidents suddenly came to China and held meeting with China's leader, which contributed to formal communication of both nations and eventually benefits both countries economically and diplomatically. Thus, the abilities to change from stereotype bring benefits.

Here, after examination of both consistent opinions and inconsistent ones, it is safety to conclude disasters or booms could come from either of them. It does not matter whether a leader hold his or her opinions consistently or not. But how one utilizes the situation to make changes or remain the same. The most effective traits of a leader comes from the ability to deicide change or not, based on the interest of its people.

In sum, from Mao to Nixon to George Bush, the history judge them not from the perspective how they responded to extremes or daily affairs, but what they have benefit either its nation or the rest of the world, or both. Theirs traits of remaining or changing opinions should be based on their responsibility to the nation, not their own interests, not even others' critics. Anyone who is easily to be affected by others is not a qualified leader while anyone who is impossible to be affected is neither one. In a word, a most effective leader should be insightful to the changing world, and decisive to make changes or remain unchanged, all based on the consequences of his or her actions, whether a more prosperous society is promised or not.


TOPIC: ARGUMENT83 - The following appeared in a memo from the business manager of Medicine, Inc., a local drugstore.

"Most business analysts for the drugstore industry have stated that even when a nation's economy is weak, drugstores' profits are unlikely to decline appreciably. While consumers might put off some kinds of purchases when the economy is slow, prescription and over-the-counter drug purchases are dictated by consumers' health needs, which are independent of the economy. Therefore, Medicine Inc. is likely to continue to have increasing profits and should plan to open an additional drugstore next year."
WORDS: 504
TIME: 上午 00:30:00
DATE: 2009-2-10

The author of this memo avers that Medicine Inc.(MI) will increase its profits the next year and should open a new drugstore based on the assumption that economy has nothing to do with the drug business. The ratiocination seems reasonable. However, on close examination it proves to groundless and unconvincing.

A threshold problem involved in this argument is whether it is feasible and necessary to open a new drugstore next year. Since the author fails to present evidence that the MI's drugs currently satisfied the market or not. It is highly possible that the MI has a sizeable of drugstores throughout the nation and its productions outweigh the needs. Moreover, the author also neglects other vital factors that affect the construction of a new drugstore such as tax and cost of construction. It is equally possible that MI does not have enough money to meet the cost of building a new drugstore. Taking into considering of these possible conditions, it is too hastily to conclude that a new drugstore is necessary or feasible.

Furthermore, even if a additional drugstore is in need, doubts still remains as whether the profits would increase the next year. Even if people's will to buy drugs would not be affected by economy, other factors such as the price of drugs from factories and tax could also lead to decreased profits. In addition, the author ignores the number of people that need drug the next year. It is true that the profits would drop if less people are buying drugs thanks to the better physical conditions of people. Aside from it, potential competition should also been considered. If there exist better drugstores with lower prices, the MI is very unlikely to gain its profits the next year. Without any studies to justify those doubts, the author's idea is unreliable.

In addition, another major problem overlooked by the author is whether the studies scientific or not. Without statistics of those studies, it is impossible to evaluate the scientific traits of their conclusions. Meanwhile, the author fails to point the economic trends of the coming year. It is reasonable to doubts that with a dramatic economical downturn that never existed in the history, the business of drugstores would also be affected.

Lastly, the author fails to consider other possible solutions other than opening a new drugstore if the profits would increase the next year. After careful examination, other choices such as introducing new drugs and lower the average price that attract more people would bring more profits to MI. Without considering these and other possible solutions, it is not save to draw the conclusion that a new store is the best choice.

In sum, to better bolster the author's suggestion of opening a new store, the study of feasibility and necessity of the project is vital. Other factors of the profits such as competitions should been considered before drawing the conclusion that the profits would gain the next year. In order to maximize the profits, other possible solutions should also been studied.