6. Dear Xie, Dec. 28, 2002
You mentioned in your last letter that you are considering furthering your study abroad and wondering if this is a step worth taking. In my view, you should look at both sides of the coin before making up your mind.
Nowadays, the prospect of attending school abroad exerts a tremendous fascination upon an army of Chinese students. ( There is a growing popularity…) Needless to say, there are a lot of advantages to studying abroad. But, I am afraid, far too many make hasty decisions in this matter. They are ill prepared for the problems they may encounter in the host country, such as the language barrier, lack of understanding of the customs, the cost of living and so on. So some constantly run into troubles and even have to halt their study. You must keep in mind that you may also face tough problems like your peers.
With best regards,
Truly yours,
Frank
( 157 words )
7. There is a conference going to be held at your local university that you would like to attend.
Write a letter to the organizer of the conference. Explain your reasons for wanting to attend. Give some information about yourself and ask for any relevant information.
Dear Professor Huang,
I write for information regarding the forthcoming International Education Conference to be held at your university.
I am about to complete a B.A. degree in Education from Nanjing University, and have a particular interest in the teaching of work place skills and employer’s perceptions of new graduates.
I plan to attend the conference and would like information about the contributory speakers, the content of their talks, and their research interests. However, although I have been living in Nanjing for the past four years I am unfamiliar with Nanjing. Therefore, if you could please also send the details of how to get to your university it would make my arrangements much easier.
In addition, if you could let me have details of the accommodation that is available ( bearing in mind I’m still a student ) I would be more than grateful.
I look forward to receiving the information and meeting you in person.
Sincerely yours,
Frank
8. Dear John,
You have asked me for my advise concerning whether you should study math or computer science at university, and I will try to make some useful suggestions.
You must keep in mind that, above all, your university training is a preparation for your future career. Therefore, your first consideration should be to study a subject which will best equip you to earn a living. There is no doubt that the field of computers offers far wider job opportunities than math.
Besides, we are now in the age of high-technology revolution. For the foreseeable future, not only will it be necessary for everyone to be computer-literate, it will also be necessary for them to be equipped with computer skills merely to earn a living! Math, I am afraid, however fascinating it maybe, offers few career prospects.
Of course, you don't have to devote all your time at university to studying computers and nothing else. On the contrary, I would recommend that you keep up your studying of Math in your spare time. That way, you will find that your leisure hours are enriched while you prepare yourself for a worthwhile career in computers.
Yours sincerely,
9.Overseas Investment in Chinese Mainland
The overseas investment in China has been , as the graph indicates, increasing from 1992 till now. The 1992 total investment saw only a little more than 10 billion US dollars while by 1997 the investment soared to more than 40.5 billion US dollars, the first quarter of 1998 has achieved nearly 10 billion dollars in spite of last year’s Asian financial crisis. On the whole, the investment from abroad in the past seven years experienced a steady and constant development.
Among all the investment, money from Hong Kong and Macao made up the biggest share, as high as 47.8 percent. This is mainly due to the safe return of Hong Kong to the mainland and its stable and exuberant economy after the handovers, especially amid the financial turmoil, which have strongly boosted foreign investors confidence. Another noticeable share came from Taiwan. The improved relationship across the Taiwan Straits has considerably pushed forward the mainland foreign inflows. In addition, the United States and Japan are also expanding their investment in China with 7.2 percent and 9.6 percent respectively.
In order to absorb more investment from abroad, we must continue to improve our investment environment. Besides speeding up the approval procedure for foreign investment ventures and attaching greater importance to investment promotion activities such as trade and investment fairs, we should help foreign invested ventures to solve problems. Now since our government increases investment in infrastructure, there will be abundant opportunities for foreign investors.
9. Dear Mr. Annan, Jan.8 2004
I am a college student from China, majoring in International Politics. I am honored to write to you to express my view on world peace.
In this ever-changing society, peace and development are the two permanent themes. People from around the world cherish a peaceful co-existence. However, we regret to find that world peace is in a worsening situation. Regional conflicts, miniature wars, aggressive wars and ethnic cleansing are nothing new, if not everyday occurrences. Global powers, such as the U.S., are destroying people’s faith in peace for economic or nationalistic reasons. If this undesirable trend could not be reversed, our global village, in my view, would be ruined sooner or later.
The United Nations, which is an international body coordinating a wide range of affairs, should take a leading role in bringing us a peaceful planet. I was hoping the UN, under your guidance, could do more to make our common dream – world peace – come true in the not too distant future.
Best wishes,
Respectfully yours
Zhang Ying (174 words )
10. Dear Xiaotong,
Glad to receive your mail but sorry to hear that you failed in exams of some compulsory courses. You mentioned in your letter that “I have been losing sleep over this and this is a major setback in my college days”.
In my view, it serves you right. After all, as a student, studying should be on top of your agenda. Although you have made a fortune and lighten your parents’ load through doing part-jobs, you missed the golden opportunity of learning. I would like to make some suggestions for you. You should strike / achieve / keep a balance between studying and extracurricular activities. So now you should drop some of the jobs you are taking and give top priority to your main task. Keep in mind that over time your priority will change. After stepping out of the Ivory Tower, you could moonlight at will.
