Some people think that family members are the most important influence on young adults. Others believe that friends are the most important influence. Which do you agree with? Explain why.

I think that family members are the most important influence on young adults. And by family members, I specifically mean parents. I think that when I think about my parents, my parents have been able to give me great life advice based on the wisdom drawn from their own life experiences. My friends, on the other hand, are just about the same age as me. There's many things that they don't know. So that's why—because my parents have had all of these life experiences are close with me and willing to share those experiences with me as advice, I think that I've gained infinitely more from them than from my friends. Of course, my friends are fun. I love hanging out with them. But I don't think that they're the most important influence in my life.

Some people enjoy taking risk and trying new things. Others are not adventurous,they are cautious and prefer to avoid danger. Which behavior do you think is better? Explain why.
有些人喜欢冒险和尝试新事物。其他人不喜欢冒险，他们很谨慎，喜欢避免危险。你认为哪种行为更好？解释原因。

I think that taking risks is the only way to live life! I am a very adventurous person because I think that trying new things is a fun way to improve myself. Taking risks means stepping out of your comfort zone to explore and learn something new. For example, I took a risk when I was 13 to move away from my parents and attend a boarding school. Even though I was scared, this risky decision is the best one I’ve ever made because it allowed me to experience a new culture and learn how to live on my own. Life is boring without risks. If a risk turns out well, you get a wonderful memory. If it turns out bad, you still gain experience.Because takings risks gives you the opportunity to improve yourself, I very much prefer to be adventurous.

我认为冒险是生活的唯一方式！我是一个非常喜欢冒险的人，因为我认为尝试新事物是一种提高自己的有趣方式。冒险意味着走出你的舒适区去探索和学习新的东西。例如，我在13岁的时候就冒着风险离开父母去上寄宿学校。尽管我很害怕，但这个冒险的决定是我做过的最好的决定，因为它让我体验了一种新的文化，学会了如何独立生活。没有风险的生活是无聊的。如果冒险成功，你会拥有美好的记忆。如果结果不好，你还是有收获的经验。因为冒险让你有机会提高自己，我更喜欢冒险。

State whether you agree or disagree with the following statement. Then explain your reasons, using specific details in your explanation.

Learning through online courses is more effective than learning in the traditional setting.

I agree that learning through online courses is more effective than learning in a traditional setting. And this is because online courses let students learn at their own pace. For example, last summer, I took an online course about engineering. Many of the topics explained in the course were difficult, and I found myself having to stop, think, and go back and relearn some of the material. I was able to do this very easily in online courses because I was able to pause the video, rewind to the part that I didn't understand and watch it again. This wouldn't have been possible in my traditional courses because there would be no way for me to stop the professor mid-lecture and have them repeat what I needed to hear.

Some people have one career throughout their lives. Other people do different kinds of work at different points in their lives. Which do you think is better? Explain why.

I think that doing different kinds of work throughout your life is better because it expands your horizosn and makes you a more skilled worker with a more diverse set of experiences. While I intend to make a career for myself in finance, I have lots of experience as an artist, a tutor, a swimming coach, a retail salesperson, and a research assistant. All of these work experiences have taught me a wide variety of skills that will make me a better worker in the future. I never would have learned how to adapt my sales pitches to my customer if I hadn’t worked in retail. Those sales skills will help me in my career when I need to sell an idea to my boss or pitch a stock to a client. I am a well-rounded person because I have done different kinds of work in my life.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Why or why

not? Use details and examples to explain your answer.

It is more important to study math or science than it is to study art or

literature.

I think that it's more important for people to study math and science,

because math and science require a deep classroom-based education in

order for their full understanding. For example, I find that in my life, I

am often able to understand art or literature even though I haven't taken

classes in the topic. For example, when I go to a museum, I'm able to

appreciate the paintings, or when I read a novel at home just for fun, I

am able to appreciate the work. However, with math and science, I look

around and I feel that because I haven't taken a class in math or science,2

I don't really know what is going on in the world around me. And for

that reason, I think that people need to be educated more on the topic.

Many universities now offer academic courses over the Internet. However, some people still prefer learning in traditional classrooms. Which do you think is better? Explain why.

While I know that online courses might be more convenient, I actually prefer to learn in a traditional classroom because it allows me to engage in discussions with my professors and classmates. I have an course on economic justice that can be completed online or in a traditional classroom. I decided to take the course traditionally because I enjoy debating political philosophy with my classmates, and that is not something you can do in an online classroom because a lot of context gets lost when debating over instant messages. Learning in a real classroom also allows me to speak with my professor and ask him questions. We had a great conversation about John Locke actually after class last week because I was able to talk to him one-on-one. 

Some students prefer to work on class assignments by themselves. Others believe it is better to work in a group. Which do you prefer? Explain why.

I prefer to work on class assignments by myself, because I get distracted very easily in groups. For example, last year, I was in a class where we had to work on a group project for the last assignment of our course. My group had four people. And I realized that every time I met as a group, my mind would wander—the presence of the other people chatting with each other became too much. And I couldn't focus on my own work, or come up with my own thoughts. On the other hand, this year, in one of my classes, I've had the opportunity to work on a project by myself. In that class, I've been able to think clearly and come up with my own thoughts. I've produced a fantastic final paper. It's for that reason that I enjoy working alone.

Some college students choose to take courses in a variety of subject areas in order to get a broad education. Others choose to focus on a single subject area in order to have a deeper understanding of that area. Which approach to course selection do you think is better for students and why?


I think that taking courses in a single subject area is better for students

because they develop a deeper and more detailed understanding of that

area. College is expensive, and I wanted to use my tuition to make sure

that I graduated with a deep understanding of finance because I am

going to begin my career in finance. College is supposed to prepare

students to succeed in the real world, so students should take courses

that will give them a deep knowledge base that they can use in their

future career. If students wish to broaden their education beyond their

specialized field, I think they can do that on their own time by listening

to podcasts or watching documentaries. College courses should be used

to become an expert.

Some people believe that television has had a positive influence on society. Others believe it has had a negative influence on society. Which do you agree with and why? Use details and exampls to explain your opinion.

I believe that television has had a positive influence on society because of its powerful educational role. When I was a kid, I used to come home after school, finish my homework, and then watch TV afterwards. And I realized that all the TV that I watched was quite educational. I would turn on channels such as National Geographic, and watch shows about the wildlife of Africa, about the volcanoes of Southeast Asia, about the various cities and the development in South America. I would learn so much about all of these topics on National Geographic, and had I not watched television, I wouldn't have learned all of this stuff.