Model 3: Graphs and tables
Writing 1
1999年
Your essay should cover these three points:
1) effect of the country’s growing human population on its wildlife;
2) possible reason for the effect;
3) your suggestion for the wildlife protection.
From these graphs, we can draw a conclusion that with the growth of human population, the number of species has decreased rapidly in America, and some species have even vanished from our planet.
Why does this phenomenon appear? As I see it, there are several possible reasons for this. First of all, with the rapid growth of population, more and more people began to live where some wild species have been living. Then these species had to move to other places. Some of them probably couldn’t adapt to the new environment and die. What’s more, although many people looked on the wildlife as their friends, some people didn’t think so. They caught a lot of wild animals and sold them in order to earn more money. Last but not least, with the development of the industry, the natural balance and the ecologic environment were destroyed. The deforestation has become more and more serious. So some of the wild lives became homeless and extinct.
In order to protect the wildlife, I have some suggestions. To begin with, the government should make laws to prevent them from being caught and killed. In addition, people have to be educated to love the nature and protect it. Finally, we should take practical actions to protect our living environment. (214 words, 33/130/51)
Writing 2
Directions:
The following table shows the consumption of an average worker in a city. Write a composition that conveys the information in the table:
The Average Worker Expense in City X
Food Clothing Fuel Housing Articles for daily use Culture & service Total income (yuan)
1988 62% 12% 6% 10% 8% 2% 560
1993 54% 12% 3% 14% 14% 3% 880
Model Composition
The Average Worker Expense in City X
Great changes have taken place in a worker’s family from 1988 to 1993. The average worker income has increased from 560 yuan in 1988 to 880 yuan in 1993, more than 50 percent higher. Since there is a remarkable increase, the way in which the average worker spends his income has also changed accordingly.
Workers spend more money on food and housing, especially on articles for daily use, which shows that their material living standard is rising rapidly. Their spending on clothing remains the same from 1988 to 1993 and their expenditure on fuel in 1993 is only half that of 1988. They are not satisfied with the present condition any more. They long to live a more comfortable and better life. It is clear from the table that as incomes increase people can afford to live more comfortably and eat better.
However, the money they spent on entertainment is very small, only 2% to 3% of the total income, which shows workers in City X go to cinema or theater once or twice a year. This condition will be changed soon. Now more and more money will be invested on education, and as the income increases, the living standard will rise gradually. (203 words, 54/88/61)
Writing 3
1997年
Your essay should cover all the information provided and meet the requirements below:
1) Interpret the following pictures.
2) Predict the tendency of tobacco consumption and give your reasons.
Smokers make up about 20 percent of the world's population, according to the latest statistics: That means that some 1.1 billion people consume tobacco in its various forms—cigarettes, pipe tobacco, etc.
Doctors warn us that smoking is very harmful to the health. In fact, it is the leading cause of lung cancer, and about three million people die from smoking-related diseases every year. In addition, the tobacco habit is extremely wasteful of money, as the graph above shows that about 200 billion dollars is spent on tobacco every year.
However, the following figures indicate that the number of smokers is decreasing: The total value of tobacco production worldwide was 14.364 billion pounds in 1994, while this dropped to 14.2 billion pounds in 1995. At the same time, many countries have passed laws forbidding smoking in public places, and there is a global campaign to dissuade people from smoking. Therefore, I believe that tobacco consumption will definitely decrease in the years to come.
Writing 4
Directions:
The following table gives statistics showing the aspects of quality of life in five countries. Write a report for a university lecturer describing the information in the table below.
Country GNP per head (1982: US dollars) Daily calorie supply per head Life expectancy at birth (years) Infant mortality rates (per 1000 live births)
Bangladesh 140 1877 40 132
Bolivia 570 2086 50 124
Egypt 690 2950 56 97
Indonesia 580 2296 49 87
USA 13160 3652 74 12
The table uses four broad economic indicators to show the standard of living in five selected countries in 1982, including both the most developed nation in the world and some of the less developed nations.
As can be seen from the statistics, the USA—one of the richest countries in the world—had the highest GNP and daily calorie intake, the longest life expectancy and the lowest infant mortality rate. The other developing countries had a considerably lower quality of life. Egypt, Indonesia and Bolivia were similar in their range of indicators, with Egypt having the highest quality of life among the three. However, Egypt’s infant mortality rate was slightly higher than Indonesia’s, at 97 deaths per 1000 compared to 87 in Indonesia. Bangladesh had by far the lowest quality of life in all the four indicators. Its GNP was only about one-hundredth that of the USA. The figures in terms of the daily calorie supply per head and life expectancy at birth in Bangladesh are the half of those respectively in USA, and its infant mortality rate was 10 times greater.
In conclusion, it can be seen from the economic indicators that the four developing countries have to develop a lot more before reaching the same level of quality of life as the USA. At the same time, the USA has the responsibility to help the other countries to develop their economies and improve their people’s living standard. (239 words, 35/147/57)
Useful Expressions and Structures:
介绍图表
The table/chart/diagram/graph/picture/cartoon shows (that)...
The figures/statistics show/describe/illustrate (that)…
As is shown/described/illustrated/indicated/revealed in the cartoon/picture/graph/chart/table, ...
As can be clearly seen from the cartoon…
What a vivid picture it is! It tells us that love is just like a lamp in the dark, bringing joy and warmth to the people around.
According to the table..., As can be seen from the table..., It can be seen from the table...
It is self-evident that…, It goes without saying that…, There is no denying the fact that…
统计数据的表达方法
increase/fall slightly/a little/sharply/dramatically/drastically from...to..., skyrocket/soar/rise/ decline/jump from…to…
remain steady at..., remain level, peak at..., reach the climax at..., reach the low at…, account for...
twice/three... times as many/much as..., one fifth/a quarter/a third/a half of...
数据变化的表达方法
The number/amount of...increased/jumped/rose/decreased/dropped/fell/ suddenly/rapidly/ dramatically/ sharply/ steadily/ gradually/ slowly/slightly from...to...
There was a sudden/rapid/dramatic/significant/sharp/steady/gradual/slow/slight increase/jump/rise/ decrease/drop/fall in the number/amount of...from...to...
开头和结尾的常用句型
The two graphs describe the same thing seen in two different ways. The first diagram simply records…The second graph throws a new light on…
The key findings taken from the surveys are as follows:…
This table provides several important points of comparison between A and B.
Follow-up Exercises:
1. Company Profits Before Tax of Australia in the Late 1980s (millions of dollars)
Period Manufacturing Mining Retail Trade Other
1986-87 4650 3840 612 1232
1987-88 6615 3816 886 1511
1988-89 8617 3540 1349 1696
1989-90 7810 4992 1373 397
2. The GDP Growth of Country X
Year 1980 1990 2000
GDP in billions of dollars 300 500 1,000
1) Describe the table;
2) Give reasons for the GDP growth of Country X;
3) State your opinions.
3. Energy Structures in the Rural Areas in China
1) Describe the energy problems in the countryside before 1979.
2) Discuss the major changes in energy consumption in 1995.
3) Your suggestion on the issue.
Model 4: Contrast and Comparison
Writing 1
Private Cars
Private cars have become an important aspect of people’s life in many parts of our country, especially in large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou. While they bring much convenience to people, they are also widely criticized.
There are some arguments for owning private cars. In the first place, cars allow people to move around freely, which greatly improves our living standard. We can easily drive cars for sightseeing on weekends. In the second place, cars are a comfortable way to travel, especially in bad weather. Last but not least, the car industry can boost economy by creating many job opportunities in production of steel, rubber, glass and so on.
However, there are also many good arguments against cars. First of all, they pollute the environment by emitting harmful gases and giving out loud noises. It is reported that many people in big cities suffer from sore throat because of the exhaust gases from cars. In addition, cars cause a large number of traffic accidents, which bring great misery to the victims’ families.
As far as I am concerned, we should limit the number of private cars by providing better mass transportation and better service for the people. Everyone should sacrifice his or her own interest for the common good of the society. (214 words, 38/73/63/40)
Writing 2
Farmer Migration into the Cities
As regards the farmer migration into the cities, there has been a heated discussion among the general public in our society. A majority of people argue that this mass migration is beneficial to the development of both the countryside and the cities. Other people, however, maintain that there are more disadvantages arising from the movement.
People who believe in the beneficial side may have some arguments as follows. To begin with, farmers can earn more money by working in the cities. Most of them will send part of their income back home to help their families. What’s more, these farmers will help develop the cities in many ways. According to a recent survey, most of the construction projects in big cities are actually done by farmers.
By contrast, some people argue that farmer migration may give rise to a series of negative effects. They worry that much land will be deserted in the country. In addition, it is also believed that rising crimes in cities are partly related to this migration.
Just as any coin has two sides, it’s no exception with the issue of farmer migration. In my opinion we should try our best to make full use of its benefits while avoiding its shortcomings. (206 words, 55/71/45/35)
Writing 3
Studying in Colleges or Through the Internet?
When it comes to the choice between studying in traditional colleges and self-studying through the Internet, different people hold different views. Some argue that they can learn better in colleges, while others believe that there are more advantages to studying through the Internet.
In the eyes of the first group of people, studying in colleges is beneficial to their study for the following reasons. For one thing, they feel more at home in colleges, because to them, it’s a more “natural” way of study. For another, they can communicate with the teachers and schoolmates easily, which will help them to develop their interpersonal skills.
In comparison, those who argue for self-study have their arguments as follows. On one hand, they can save a lot of time going to and from school. They may use this time to read more books and do more research. On the other hand, they can listen to the lectures of all the best teachers available on the Internet. Therefore, they have a wide range of choices of teachers and lessons.
As discussed above, it is obvious that each side has its distinctive features. I believe the best choice is to use the Internet as often as possible while staying on campus. (206 words, 43/61/71/31)
Writing 4
Brain Drain in China
1） 中国人才流失的现状；
2） 对人才流失的看法；
3） 如何解决人才流失。
Composition for reference
Nowadays, one of the most serious problems China is faced with is brain drain. While shortages of talent trouble many universities and state-owned enterprises, millions of talented people either emigrate to developed countries or work for foreign companies. At the same time, a big crowd of well-educated people who are determined to follow their footsteps take TOEFL or GRE as their passport to the West.
However, people see this phenomenon in different perspectives. Some hold the opinion that China suffers a lot from brain drain. They argue, on the one hand, that brain drain considerably weakens our international competitiveness. On the other hand, they believe that the talent should serve their native country first.
In contrast, others highlight the advantages of international exchange and cooperation. They claim that Chinese youths should go abroad to study and gain more experience. What’s more, the long-term benefits will outweigh losses we suffer now.
Brain drain poses a challenge. China should go all out to attract talented people in order to better compete in the world. For one thing, decent living and working conditions should be offered to specialists. For another, we have to better develop our economy, which is a sure bait for all kinds of talent. (204 words, 65/39/46/54)
Useful Expressions and Structures:
1. 表达比较
1) The same is true of…, The same can be said of…
2) Just as…, so…
3) As is to B what/as C is to D
Book is to the mind what/as food is to the body.
4) A and B have something in common
5) A is similar to B in that…
6) Like…
7) Compared with A, B…
2. 表达对比
1) Unlike…
2) A differs from B in that…
3) A is just the opposite to B
3．表达权衡
1) A is superior to B because/in that…/in the following aspects.
2) The advantages of… outweigh the disadvantages
3) …varies from person to person
4) Nothing can rival…
Nothing can rival the pleasure from talking to a good friend.
5) A benefits people in the following ways while B brings a lot of harm.
6) be of great benefit to…, do a lot of good to…, be good for…, do damage to…, do harm to…
7) not so much…as…
The reason for the rapid increase in population is not so much a rise in birth rate as a fall in death rate.
Follow-up Exercises:
1. Health or Wealth?
2. My View on Job-hopping
3. Reading Selectively or Extensively?
4. Is a Test of Spoken English Necessary?
5. On Internet in Our Life