Readings

READING 1SMOKINGIt is almost known to all that smoking is bad for people’s health. Scientific researches show that smoking can lead to heart disease, cancer and other problem. The world Health Organization says disease linked to smoking kill all at least two million five-hundred-thousand persons each year.Still, many people find it difficult to stop smoking. One reason is that smoking usually becomes a habitual behavior, and habits, whether good or bad are not easy to be given up. Another reason is the effect of nicotine, the substance found in cigarettes works on people somewhat as drugs do.Measures have been taken to help people keep away from the harm of smoking. In many cities, smoking is forbidden in public places. The danger of smoking is warned of everywhere. And newspapers are asked not to publish advertisements for cigarettes. World”No Tobacco Day”is observed every year as the biggest campaign against smoking.EXAMINATIONThere are many arguments about the advantages and disadvantages of examination. Some people think examination is the only best way to test how examinees have mastered what they have studied and it is the only measurement for examiners to select which persons they need. While, on the other hand, some object that examination can’t measure how the students have really studied. They say it can do nothing but burden the students.As for me, I think for both examiners and examinees, the examination can show what and how much the examinees have mastered. The results of examination are just like mirrors for both examiners and examinees.Through examination the examinees can check their work and get aware of which aspects they have not done well, so that they will make much improvement in their work. As far asexaminees are concerned, they can not only know how they have studied but also find out what they still unknown or what they haven’t mastered well. Thus, they will be inspired to greater efforts to improve their studying method so as to make greater progress. Of course too many examinations are burdens to both examiners and examinees.In sum, the examination does more good than harm for both examiners and examinees. We must take a correct attitude towards examination. We should take full advantage of it and avoid its disadvantage.SCHOOL HOURSThe hours spent at school are always constructive. The curriculum is planned for children to exercise both body and mind. To most parents, longer hours in school would mean that the children are being kept busy, studying or playing under the teacher supervision. Once without supervision at home, many children tend to spend their time in less worthwhile pursuits. For this reason, some people argue that school hours should be made longer. On the other hand, the children must learn to get away from the school and friends. To think and learn by themselves is an important way to become independent. Besides, too much of anything can make a person dislike it or become bored. So if we extend school hours, children might become dull or listless or even develop a strong dislike for school.MY FIRST JOBBefore I started at university, I took my first job as a waitress in a nice restaurant. At the night before my first day. I was too excited to go to sleep and as a result, I got up late in the morning. I threw on my clothes and rushed over to the restaurant.In a great hurry, I didn’t hear clearly the head waiter’s instruction that we should go into the kitchen through one door and out from the other. So when I took two plates of eggs and bacon and an orange juice out to the restaurant, I went straight towards the wrong door and collided with another waiter coming in!Worst of all was that I wore a pair of smart shoes but with high heels! A few hours later I was in agony yet had no time to change them. By the time we finished serving dinner at about 10:30 I was completely exhausted. Nevertheless, I learnt something through myexperienceBIRTH CONTROLSince the Chinese Government singled out family planning as one of the basic state policy in 1978, the country has adopted various measures and achieved great success in birth control. The total birth rate has been decreasing gradually.However, at present China’s population is still growing very rapidly. It is reported that every year the population of this country increases by an extra 15 million and China development and improvement of people’s living standards have been and will be greatly affected by the population.Therefore, to control population growth more strictly is clearly essential to the country’s reforms and economic development. We should restress the importance of birth control and call on the whole nation to make more effective actions.ADVERTISEMENTSAdvertisements are getting their way into people’s lives. People depend on advertisers in their daily life because they are consumers. The advertisers are always manufacturers. Sometimes they are salesmen. Their merchandise needs advertising. Thus nearly every product is advertised. To some extent, good advertising means success while bad advertising can means failure.There are many ways to advertise and ‘ads’ come in different forms. Newspapers carry advertisements. Some products are announced on TV and radio which have a wide audience. Billboards also carry advertising. Advertising is a big industry now and many agencies are set up to furnish a variety of services for it.However, advertising is not always truthful. A product is often misrepresented. The advertiser exaggerates the benefits of the merchandise he wants to sell. Thus, he misrepresents the truth. The consumer falls victim to such advertising. Millions of people have bought advertised products and they haven’t always been satisfied.CHOOSING CAREERThe career you choose will affect the future course of your life, such of your range of friends, your choice of husband or wife, where you live, your recreational activities, and other important aspects. To make a good choice, you must have a clear knowledge of your abilities, interests and aims. Then try to find out the kind of occupation in which people like you tend success and satisfaction.Second, you have to weigh carefully the immediate advantages against the long-term prospect offered by the joy you are considering. Be sure to ask your parents, teachers, and career adviser for useful suggestions as to how you might take full advantage of your personal qualities and qualification.Having a clear idea about the work that suits you best, you should make a real study of jobs available. Obtain written materials or other such information as much as possible and examine them from every angle before you make the final decision.HOUSING PROBLEMHousing problem comes hand in hand with population growth. Some big cities in China are now encumbered with a rising population. Naturally, one of the most serious problems incurred is that of housing. Despite the mushrooming high building, the provision of living space still falls far short of demands. Since the world in advancing, people are no longer reconciled to living in shabby shelters. They look forward to decent dwelling places which can protect human dignity.Various solutions have been suggested. But there seems to be a drawback to each of the solutions. The traditional free allocation of dwellings to the needy brings great economic burden to the government, while paid allocation brings equal burden to the average people. The moving of urban population to the suburbs may ease housing problem in inner city but brings about traffic problem. The best solution seems to be a combination of all suggested solutions. We still have a long way to go.FIGHTING CRIMINALSToday the crime rate in soe cities of our country is rising. Many citizens often complain about the thefts and robberies that have taken place in the areas they live in and appeal tothe governments at all levels to take effective measures to reduce the crime rate.Faced with criminals, some people are so frightened that they shamelessly give up the flight and other people turn a blind eye to them. However, some people are brave enough, to risk their lives to fight the criminals. Their fearless actions prevented the criminals from doing evil, saved the victims and protected the public properties.To reduce the crime rate, we all the people should first receive a law education. Criminals must be severely punished. Meanwhile we should set up a foundation to reward those who fight criminals. It is also important to call on people to learn from those heroes and encourage more people to stand up to crime.THE STUDY OF SCIENCEScience is important to most people living in the modern world for a number of reasons. Science is important to world peace, to the understanding of technology, and to our understanding of the natural world. Science is also an interesting area of study for a number of reasons. Some areas of science are especially interesting because they deal with questions all men and women ask themselves. Science tries to provide some explanations for what happens to people.Science is hard to study. One of the reasons is that there are so many questions without answers. Much of science involves asking questions, and then studying and doing research to try to find the answers. Some questions have been studied by research scientists for many years, and the answers are still not known. However, scientists are slowly but surely able to answer more and more questions about life, and these answers change our lives and also explain them.All of the many different kinds of science are important and interesting. Scientists are asking and answering many interesting and important questions about people and their lives. A basic knowledge of science can help you to understand bout the questions and the answers. In the modern world, this ability is essential to everyone.VACATION, LONG OR SHORTSome people favor long vacations because they can have enough time to do things thatcannot be finished within a shout period. During a long vacation, they may make a complicated experiment, carry out an involved investigation or go to a far away place for some necessary field work. Taking a full time job to earn money for one or two months is another benefit the long vacation provides. And sometimes a good academic thesis with a considerable length needs a long vacation.Those who prefer short vacations also have understandable reasons. For two of three weeks’ rest is adequate for students to refresh themselves without forgetting the lessons that are to be continued next semester. Short vacations also mean to rest three times a school year and short semester. To study in this way is easier than to study for a long exhausting time with many courses and lessons crammed together.On the whole, either long or short vacation has its advantages and disadvantages. What matters is how to make use of it.ARE PETS GOOD FOR MANKIND?A pet animal is kept us feel happy. Besides providing companionship, pets invite us to love and be loved. Often a cat or dog can comfort us at time when human words don’t help. Pets also keep us in touch with the more natural animal world. Learning to care for a pet helps a child to grow up into loving adult who feels responsible towards those dependent on him. A pet dog brings its master a sense of confidence emotional rather than economic reasons.Keeping pets is just a waste of time and resource, according to some other people. Those who are crazy about pets sometimes neglect their duties. It is a shame that many animals eat good food while thousands of people go hungry in some parts of our overpopulated, troubled world. Furthermore, the growing number of pets has caused serious hygiene problem that cannot be solved. Not to say it’s against nature to cage birds, chain dogs and keep cats with the house.In my opinion, it is not wise nor possible to forbid pets keeping since it is a human need, rules should be made to avoid its drawbacks.。