7. Automobiles
Automobiles, as the product of modern civilization, have been playing a vital part in the daily activities of human society. Industry needs automobiles for transportation. Agriculture needs automobiles for farming as well as transportation. Every day, automobiles drive people to or from work. At weekends, automobiles take families to joyful outings. And during travelling seasons, automobiles are all the more a common sight everywhere, even in remote areas. It can be said that the wheels of automobiles move human society forward.
But automobiles have also given rise to a series of problems. For example, cities are overcrowded with automobiles. They make big noises and cause traffic accidents which disable or kill many people each year. Worst of all, perhaps, the air is polluted by the gases produced by automobiles. Some of the gases are poisonous and dangerous to health.
Obviously, automobiles, like anything else, have more than one side. While they are so indispensable to mankind, they also bring us serious problems. It's only hoped that mankind, while making the most out of automobiles, will eventually find satisfactory solutions to problems.
8. The World Is Getting Smaller And Smaller
Most of us may have such experiences: When you go to some place far away from the city where you live and think you know nobody there, you are surprised to find that you run into one of your old classmates on the street. Perhaps both of you would cry out, "What a small world!"
Why is the world getting smaller and smaller? For one thing, faster and safer means of transport have greatly reduced distance. In the past it took people eight weeks to cross the Pacific Ocean, but now an air journey from Shanghai to New York only takes eight hours. For another, the quickening pace of modern society creates more opportunities for people to visit each other. For example, business activities and cultural exchange have brought peoples into constant contact with the world.
So we may safely draw the conclusion that the more advanced a society and technology, the smaller the world will be.
9. Make Our Cities Greener
In recent years, while our industries and business have developed quickly, the number of tress in many big cities has dramatically reduced. Efforts are being made to prevent more trees from being fallen down, but it is of importance to realize the significance of making cities greener.
Making cities greener has many advantages. First, it can make our air cleaner. Scientific research has proved that trees can reduce great amount of carbon in the atmosphere through absorption. Second, it can render our cities more beautiful. With trees and flowers everywhere, there is a pleasant feeling that we live in a beautiful garden. Finally, it can produce timber — an effective way to solve the problem of the limited supply of natural resources.
Making our cities greener requires a nationwide effort. There should not only be a widespread awareness of its contribution to urban environment, but also a common action to plant more trees and preserve them from commercial use.
10. Health
Health is the foundation of one's future success. If you become sick, it is impossible for you to go on with your study or your work.. On the contrary, if you are strong, you can overcome the difficulties that lie ahead of you.
How can you have good health? Firstly, you should do exercise every day to strengthen your bodies. Secondly, you should form some good habits, such as early rising. If you get up early, you can breathe fresh air. Thirdly, you should pay great attention to your health. If you are getting sick, you'd better go and see a doctor.
In a word, nothing is more valuable than health. In good health, a student may absorb more knowledge and solve more complex problems. In good health, scientists can achieve more success and make more contributions.
11. Advantages and Disadvantages of Telephone
Telephone is one of the most welcome and popular communication means. It is a great carrier of massages. Many people use it almost every day. I can hardly imagine how we would get on if we didn't have telephones.
There are some advantages of telephones. The first is speed and the second is directness. If you want to get an immediate connection, it is obviously quicker to phone someone than to write a letter. If you want information, it is probable to get it directly by telephone. Another advantage is that telephone can give you a personal feeling. If you want to talk or get in contact with a friend or a relative, you feel much closer to them when you are talking to them on the telephone.
However, telephones have some disadvantages. If you have a telephone at home, it often rings at an inconvenient time. It may ring when you are having a bath or when you are watching your favourite television program. Another disadvantage is that sometimes you might misunderstand what somebody is saying. If it is a matter of really important information, it is probably safer to have it in a letter than on telephone.
12. Ways of Relaxing
"All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy" is a popular saying in English. There is much truth in it. It means that in order to keep ourselves in good health, we must take sufficient recreations.
Everyone has his own way of relaxing. For people who sit much of the time at work, cycling is said to be a capital means of exercise. A good brisk walk is one of the finest forms of exercise, too. For people engaged in outdoor work, reading is an excellent change if suitable books are chosen.
I like sports and enjoy participating in them. My favourite sport is table-tennis because it brings the whole body into action. In fact, it doesn't matter whether I play a game of ping-pang or concentrate on the bridge table. It is important for me to relax from time to time.
