0910AW 同主题写作第七期 issue221 WDI小组by xydeng

xydengUID: 2472724

ISSUE221 - "The chief benefit of the study of history is to break down the illusion that people in one period of time are significantly different from people who lived at any other time in history."

提纲：部分同意。我认为，学习历史的好处之一是：在学习历史的过程中，认识到不同时期的人类之间的共同点，但是并不是说这是学习历史最主要的好处，在某些情况下，学习历史然后认识到各个时期的人类所处的政治、经济、历史背景等方面的差异，从而找出特定情况下处理问题的方法也同样重要。因而，我们不能简单地把历史的主要好处归纳为认知人类一以贯之的相同点，而是要具体情况具体分析。
1、
必须承认的是，从历史研究的几个层次来看，学习历史确实可以找出不同时期人类的共性，找出深层次的变化规律和内在一致性，从而指导我们现在以及将来的实践。比如说，毫无疑问，野心勃勃是各时期人类的共性，回顾历史和观望当今，我们可以看到很多野心勃勃的统治者的共同特征即是希望通过暴力和强权扩大自己的权利，压制人们，极大地破坏了民主和人们的自由等权利。然而，这些统治者最终的下场均是丧失了自己的权利而一无所有甚至成为了阶下囚。最典型和最近的例子即是希特勒和斯大林。这些统治者们的最终下场告诉人们，过分放纵自己的野心追逐私利以至于破坏民主和自由是不为社会所包容的。这对于当前的政府、公司等领导都有借鉴意义。另外，一些共同面对的问题对当下也有指导实践意义。
2、
然而，学习历史还可以了解各个时期不同的文化、价值观，这种不同的文化和价值观有利于我们保存多元的文化和价值观，多角度多方位地看问题。
3、
另外，学习历史的好处并不仅仅在于认知这种共性，相反，由于时代和人类都在不断进步，每个时期都会遇到以前的人们所没有遇到过的问题，历史并不能解决当前人类面临的难题。比如说，计算机网络的发展带来了前所未有的一些难题，如网络犯罪，医学技术的发展带来了一些道德问题，如安乐死、克隆人等等，这些前人都没遇到过的问题，在历史中无疑找不到相对应的解决办法。

In this statement, the speaker claims that the chief benefit of the study of history is to realize that people in different periods are the same. While I concede that looking back on the history to find out the unchanged human nature and problems, we can benefit as a society in dealing enduring problems more effectively and efficiently, I find this statement extreme for it unfairly neglects the other benefits of studying history and exaggerates the benefit of studying history to find out the similarity between people in different periods.

Admittedly, study of history definitely can reveal human consistency and inherent conformity from historical events, and we can benefit from looking back to history to find out the unchanged human nature and common problems. In one hand, for example, it is generally accepted that one of our basic human natures is ambition which has remained constant. In history, we can find a deal of examples that the leaders exaggerate their privilege to fulfill his or her ambition and self-benefits. The expense of such ambitious behavior is that the rights of populace, such as freedom and, are deprived. A telling historical example involves Stalin and Hitler, whom most people would agree that their overweening ambition and wielding power unduly results in their down-fall. Such similar human nature founded in history tells us that we should keep an acceptable and appropriate ambition, but egregious violence from public morality and inordinate ambition invariably leads to leaders’ forfeit of power and leadership. In the other hand, many problems we face with in recent period may also occurred in history and they successfully resolved. Thus, we can deal with common problems more effectively and efficiently by looking for and obtaining measures from history.

Notwithstanding the foregoing concession, I fundamentally disagree with the speaker's assert that finding out similarity between people in different periods is the chief benefit of the study of history.

One compelling reason why I disagree with the speaker is that it is commonly realized that the background of political, economical, and cultural in different historical periods are diverse from each other. Then, learning the distinct characteristic in different historical periods can also provide us perspectives looking back to the past and formulating our own characteristic of political, economical and cultural. Take culture for example, studying human history can help us understand and appreciate the morals, values, and cultures of the past. Realizing such cultural and value evolution, in turn, can help us keep the diversity of culture and value, and formulate informed and reflective values and culture for ourselves.

Another compelling reason for my disagreement lies in that in this era of high-technology leading to a new and complex society, we witness a great many of changes and advancement with an ever-greater speed that no past experience can serve as a panacea for the new problems. For example, the rise and wide spread of computer and Internet require more and more people learn how to utilize computer and Internet so that they can increase their efficiency of job and keep pace with development of technology and society.
And in the meantime, the advancement of science and technology brings a great deal of new problems the predecessors never met in the past. For example, how can we turn to the past for the moral risks we face posed by cloning, euthanasia since no such technology ever existed in the past times? And how can we find answers about solving psychological diseases deriving from increasingly fast living pace since our ancestors would have imagined such a fast pace life?

In conclusion, one of benefits of studying history is to find out similarity between people in different historical periods. However, there are still other significant benefits of the study of history.

bloodbobUID: 2627007

In this statement, the speaker claims that the chief benefit of the study of history is to realize that people in different periods are the same. While I concede that looking back on the history to find out the unchanged human nature and problems, we can benefit as a society in dealing enduring problems more effectively and efficiently,. However,(貌似有个转折)I find this statement extreme (going too far) for it unfairly neglects the other benefits of studying history and exaggerates the benefit of studying history to find out the similarity between people in different periods.
第一段：很不错。1.引出讨论，2.让步（研究历史可以找出human nature, problems）3.再提出自己观点（有其他benefits）有条理。
Admittedly, study of history definitely can reveal human consistency and inherent conformity from historical events, and we can benefit from looking back to history to find out the unchanged human nature and common problems. In one hand [/color](On one hand), for example, it is generally accepted that one of our basic human natures is ambition which has remained constant. In history, we can find a deal of examples that the leaders exaggerate their privilege to fulfill his or her ambition and self-benefits. The expense of such ambitious behavior is that the rights of populace, such as freedom and, are deprived. (Inevitably, the insane individual ambitiousness is satisfied at the cost of freedom of the mass.) A telling historical example involves Stalin and Hitler, whom most people would agree that their overweening [/color](overweening修饰人，可改成inordinate或excessive或wild) ambition and wielding（unmitigated） power unduly results in their down-fall. Such similar human nature founded in history tells us that we should keep an acceptable and appropriate ambition, but egregious violence from public morality and inordinate ambition invariably leads to leaders’ forfeit of power and leadership（好词组）. In （On） the other hand, many problems we face with (are confronted with) in recent period (recently) may have also occurred in history and they (have been) successfully resolved. Thus, we can deal with common problems more effectively and efficiently by looking for and obtaining measures from history. (最后一点可再深入论证)

Notwithstanding the （In spite of the）foregoing concession, I fundamentally disagree with the speaker's assertion that finding out similarity between people in different periods is the chief benefit of the study of history.

One compelling reason why I disagree with the speaker is that it is commonly realized (recognized) that the background of political, economical, and cultural in different historical periods are diverse from each other. Then, learning the distinct characteristic in different historical periods can also provide us perspectives looking back to the past and formulating our own characteristic of political, economical and cultural. Take culture for example, studying human history can help us understand and appreciate the morals, values, and cultures of the past. Realizing such cultural and value evolution, in turn, can help us keep （keep不妥改成make us aware of）the diversity of culture and value, and thus (因果) formulate informed and reflective values and culture for ourselves.

Another compelling reason for my disagreement lies in that in this era of high-technology leading to a new and complex society, we witness (用得准确) a great many of changes and advancement with an ever-greater speed that no past experience can serve as a panacea for the new problems. For example, the rise and wide spread of computer and Internet require more and more people learn how to utilize computer and Internet so that they can increase their efficiency of job and keep pace with development of technology and society.
And in the meantime, the advancement of science and technology brings a great deal of new problems the predecessors never met in the past. For example, how can we turn to the past for the solution to moral risks we face posed by cloning, euthanasia since no such technology ever existed in the past times? And how can we find answers about solving psychological diseases deriving from increasingly fast living pace since our ancestors would have imagined such a fast pace life?
之前两段提到的是study of history的不足，（不能解决technology advancement引出的问题）好像与benefits牛头不对马嘴哦。）
In conclusion, one of benefits of studying history is to find out similarity between people in different historical periods. However, there are still other significant benefits of the study of history.（有点像开头了，太简单，最好简要罗列benefits）

文章前半部分结构不错，只是后半部分没有紧扣study of history的benefits来讨论，最后提到drawback所占篇幅过长，喧宾夺主。考虑删减drawback，并想些其他benefits。