argument47,issue136 fly aw 小组第十三，十四次作业

honeyviolaUID: 2199703

Scientists studying historical weather patterns have discovered that in the mid-sixth century, Earth suddenly became significantly cooler. Although few historical records survive from that time, some accounts found both in Asia and Europe mention a dimming of the sun and extremely cold temperatures. Either a huge volcanic eruption or a large meteorite colliding with Earth could have created a large dust cloud throughout Earth's atmosphere that would have been capable of blocking enough sunlight to lower global temperatures significantly. A large meteorite collision, however, would probably create a sudden bright flash of light, and no extant historical records of the time mention such a flash. Some surviving Asian historical records of the time, however, mention a loud boom that would be consistent with a volcanic eruption. Therefore, the cooling was probably caused by a volcanic eruption. 【47】

1．亚洲和欧洲的记录并不代表整个地球的情况，也就是说这些地方的记录并不说明了整个地球突然很冷了。
2．大型小行星的撞击可能产生的光并没有被记录，这并不代表说温度下降只是由于火山造成的。没有记录并不代表没有发生。
3．相似的声音不能代表是同样的原因。

This argument’s conclusion is that scientists find that in the mid-sixth century, a significant cooler is caused by a volcanic eruption on the earth. To justify this conclusion the argument points out that in Asia and Europe there are some mentions about a dimming of the sun and extremely cold temperatures. Also, the argument points out that a loud boom that would be consistent with a volcanic eruption appeared in Asia. I found the argument unpersuasive, for several reasons.

First, mentions in Asia and Europe do not account for whole reasons of cooling on the earth. Although these places experienced a dimming of the sun and extremely cold temperatures, there are just parts of the world. Maybe in other corner of the earth, the temperature is high and warm. Even the whole world was becoming cool, a dimming of the sun and extremely cold temperatures are not the only reasons for cooling on the earth. As we know, comet is another reason. A comet ran into the earth. Or
S
econdly, a flash caused by a large meteorite colliding with Earth did not mean in history is not equal to the cooling was probably caused by a volcanic eruption. Maybe the records are not found at present or the records are destroyed. Moreover, the situation was too dangerous for people to keep records. In a word, we have no enough evidence to cite that a volcanic eruption is only reason.

Finally, some mentions in Asia are about a loud boom that would be consistent with a volcanic eruption are doubtful. We should not assert that the reasons for cooling are due to a similar sound. Maybe this sound was produced by earthquake. Or maybe a severe tsunami also has such same result.

In conclusion, the argument is not persuasive. To bolster it some evidences about records in other parts of world are found. Moreover, the flash or the sound is proved to be reason of cooling caused by a  huge volcanic eruption or a large meteorite colliding with Earth .

issue136"The absence of choice is a circumstance that is very, very rare."

1.社会在变动，人们思想也在变。人们变得很冷漠对于社会事物。
2．人们希望把希望留给外来。并不意味着放弃的人就很少，这是一种趋势。
3．当然也肯定人们的选择比以前多了，人们做出决定也比较难了。

The speaker asserts that nowadays the chance of giving up a choice becomes rare. In my view, the speaker unfairly generalizes about giving up a choice is also a way of making a choice. With the development of our society, some new phenomena appear which account for a large proportion in people’s life.

One reason for my viewpoint is that the change of people’ opinion. Choice is divided in to two types. One is making a choice, the other is no choice. In my point of view, the absence of choice is also a choice. With the development of society, people make a choice under different conditions. Most of us have less concerned with the development of our social responsibilities. We people more care about ourselves. Take a news survey for example. At present, to vote candidates of communities is in prevalence. Only less then 40 percent of householders has made a choice of who will be the new director of community.  More then 50 percent of households do not want to make a choice because they are indifferent to social matters. What we people is concerned about their own development. For them, the absence of a choice means they have made a choice.

Another reason for my viewpoint lies in the fact that the absence of choice is a way of searching another way of survival. Maybe people don’t make choice currently. They want to wait until the proper and right thing for them. As a result, the absence of choice is not rare as we think before. Take a famous TV program in shanghai named date in Saturday as example. At the end of the TV show, some people give up making a choice. People may want to provide chance of meeting another people. From my point of view, there is a trend of the absence of choice in our society. More and more people find it is not necessary to make a decision at present and a decision without enough consideration and with limited requirement may achieve bad results. So a lot of people choose to wait new chance.

However, there are many kinds of choices in front of us. People may be confused with so many chances which are more than before. We may not easily give up a choice. We people want to seize what we expect.

In a word, what ever kinds of choice we make, the important thing is that we should find what we want. Maybe we should decide what choices are suitable for ourselves. The absence of choice is not rare as we think before.

[ 本帖最后由 honeyviola 于 2006-6-19 21:13 编辑 ]