1 Writing WRITING THE INTRODUCTION & CONCLUSION Complete the following short essays [1] _ Classical music, which is accepted by most mid-aged and old people, usually has a slow rhythm and a pleasant melody, such as opera and symphony It is good for expressing strong feelings and showing great scenes Listening to the sound that seems to be from the outer space, you may see several white swans flying over the "swan lake" surrounded by all kinds of flowers and grass What an elegant picture it is! I am sure you will soon be refreshed from a day's hard work and relax yourself Compared with the former, such music as jazz or rock is more popular among young people who pursue a kind of music that is in accordance with the trend of modern society It is rhythmically quick and reflects the social reality Via this kind of music the young generation can directly express their discontent and disappointment to the society, their desire for love and friendship, and their ambition for success This is also a way to relax oneself from a hectic life [2] _ There are obvious advantages of learning English in Australia Every day there are opportunities to practice listening to and speaking with Australians In addition, students can experience the culture first hand, which is a great help when trying to understand the language This is especially true if they choose to live with Australians, as a member of a homestay family, for example Furthermore, if students attend a language school full-time, the teachers will be native speakers In this case, not only will students’ speaking and listening skills improve, but attention can be given to developing reading and writing skills as well However, there are disadvantages In the first place, most students in non-speaking English countries learn English at high schools and sometimes at universities nowadays Although their spoken English is not usually of a very high standard, their knowledge of grammar is often quite advanced This is certainly useful when students come to an English-speaking country to perfect their language Secondly, studying the basics of English at secondary Writing schools is less stressful than learning the language while overseas This is because students living at home not have to worry about problems such as finding accommodation, paying for their study and living costs, and trying to survive in a foreign country where day after day living causes a lot of stress [3] _ Firstly, modern people have greater tensions and have less time to communicate with each other More and more people are living in urban areas, where life is in a quick rhythm Due to fierce competition, city dwellers have to work hard in order to keep up with the pace of city life Everybody is busy all the time Work pressures deprive them of a casual way of life Moreover, living in apartments in different blocks, people are isolated from each other It is not convenient for them to meet each other freely Secondly, the wide use of telephones and overwhelming emergence of the Internet prevent modern people from seeing each other quite often In the past, when some festivals came, the way people sent congratulations was to meet each other, to sit together and talk, or to write letters and send postcards Nowadays people can simply send an email or make a phone call to send good wishes in a few minutes However, sitting before the computer screen is not the same thing as meeting, talking and writing People are losing the pleasure of writing or talking and hospitality towards each other In some sense, people are becoming mechanical Thirdly, modern people's spare time is occupied by various kinds of entertainments and activities In the past, meeting and talking to others was a fundamental way to get information However, today TV programs are very attractive People can just stay at home and know clearly what is happening in the world Therefore, people have few chances to meet each other, and thus a feeling of isolation arises ... before the computer screen is not the same thing as meeting, talking and writing People are losing the pleasure of writing or talking and hospitality towards each other In some sense, people are becoming... entertainments and activities In the past, meeting and talking to others was a fundamental way to get information However, today TV programs are very attractive People can just stay at home and know... came, the way people sent congratulations was to meet each other, to sit together and talk, or to write letters and send postcards Nowadays people can simply send an email or make a phone call