【正确答案】Topie Card A
a) Should abortion be legalized or not?
Candidate A: I would like to choose the first topic.
There is a long-running debate as to whether or not abortion should be legalized, some people who condemn the practice hold that abortion is inhuman and sinful. In some countries, abortion is considered illegal and those who practise it are regarded as murders. But in my opinion, it is a good thing.
To begin with, it is an effective measure taken to avoid the unexpected and unwanted child, thus freeing women from pain and trouble of unplanned pregnancy which may destroy their career or even their future. It serves as a baby carries a familial hereditary disease. It helps to avoid deformed or disabled babies and thus relieves the burden of the society.
Thirdly, some women are physically weak or suffer from some kind of disease and are not suitable for pregnancy.
Fourthly, some families are too poor to support the baby and they cannot provide a good environment for the child to live in.
Lastly, in some special cases such as a rape or puppy love, it helps solve the problem of unwed mothers.
In a word, the practice of abortion has many practical purposes; it is a kind of civilization.
Candidate B: Every coin has two sides; can you say some disadvantages of abortion?
Candidate A: Abortion does great harm to women's physical and mental health, some even become infertile after the abortion. It encourages intimacy and promiscuity in some degree.
Interlocutor: How should we decrease the disadvantages of abortion?
Candidate A: We should keep in mind that rigid supervision and control should be exercised over the practice in order to avoid it being abused.
b) What is the relationship between skyscrapers and environment?
Candidate A: I would like to choose the second topic.
Nowadays more and more new steel-and-glass skyscrapers were widely constructed. While ecologists pointed out that a cluster of tall buildings in a city often overburdens public transportation and parking lot capacities.
Skyscrapers are also lavish consumers, and wasters, of electric power. In one recent year, the addition of 17 million square feet of skyscraper office space raised the peak daily demand for electricity by 120, 000 kilowatts -- enough to supply the entire city of Albany, New York, for a day.
Glass-walled skyscrapers can be especially wasteful. The heat loss (or gain) through a wall of half-inch plate glass is more than ten times that through a typical masonry wall filled with insulation board. To lessen the strain on heating and air-conditioning equipment, builders of skyscrapers have begun to use double-glazed panels of glass, and reflective glasses coated with silver or gold mirror films that reduce glare as well as heat gain. However, mirror-walled skyscrapers raise the temperature of the surrounding air and affect neighboring buildings.
Skyscrapers put a severe strain on a city's sanitation facilities, too. If fully occupied, the two World Trade Center towers in New York City would alone generate 2.25 million gallons of raw sewage each year -- as much as a city the size of Stanford, Connecticut, which has a population of more than 109,000.
Candidate B: Do you like to live in a skyscraper?
Candidate A: I would like to live in it, because it brings a broad view.
Interlocutor: why are people in favor of building skyscrapers?
Candidate A: People think skyscrapers are a sign of economic progress and a miracle of modem architecture, and also believe that building skyscrapers helps to solve the problem of the growing scarcity of land in the city.
c) How do you think of advertisement?
Candidate A: I would like to choose the third topic.
Along with the rapid progress of society, the advertising industry has undergone remarkable development. Every day we are surrounded by all kinds of ads and commercials, which have a profound influence on our daily lives. As for me, I am in favor of the idea that TV commercials should not be banned.
The advertisement is a good channel which helps promote the exchanges of information, in an era of information; everyone can benefit a lot from the ads, not only the manufacturers but also the customers. Moreover, the advertisement enables people to catch up with the amazing advance in all fields. From the mushrooming ads, people get to know some newest products and the trend of consumption. Thirdly, advertising, to some extent, is not only an industry but also an art. Many advertisements are elaborate works of art full of ingenuity and originality, which render great spiritual pleasure to the viewers and add to the picturesque cityscape.
In a word, the advertisement is a blessing for modern people.
Candidate B: Do you like watching ads?
Candidate A: I like to view some interesting ads, such as the ads of Cola.
Interlocutor: How shall we reduce the negative effect of the ads?
Candidate A: We should impose bans on the false and deceptive ads while encouraging the healthy development of the advertising industry.
Topic Card B
a) What should the government do to make the country successful and prosperous?
Candidate B: I would like to choose the first topic.
In the first place, the government should attach greater importance to education and invest more in it; especially higher education, the work and value of educators should be highly recognized and respected. Without a well-educated population, China will not be able to achieve its planned economic growth, to catch up with the developed technologically, or to greatly improve the living standard of its people.
Secondly, the government should introduce the latest and most advanced technology and allure more talents to China. We should adopt effective measures to welcome back those Chinese who are studying abroad, creating an environment conducive to their studies and work. Moreover, promote the scientific exchanges with the developed countries.
Thirdly, the government should set up a political and legal sustain which adapts to the conditions of the country, fight against corruption in the government and improve democracy and respect freedom. The establishment of a highly efficient and clean government is a must.
Fourthly, work out long-term plans for sustainable and smooth development. The government should carry out the policy of economic privatization and reduce the tax rate. The government should ensure a fair government for business competition.
In a word, with the quality of citizens improved and a highly efficient and clean government established, our countries will be prosperous.
Candidate A: What do you think of education to one's country's development?
Candidate B: Only by means of education we can improve the national quality and enhance the overall national strength. Education is the key to the strength of a country. Through the development of educational undertakings, we can cultivate more talents as a result to promote scientific and technological development.
Interlocutor: What do you think of developing industrial skills to one's country's development?
Candidate B: The improvement of the industrial skills brings us greater economic returns, and can improve productivity of one country, and increase the power of one country.
b) What do you think of opportunities?
Candidate B: I would like to choose the second topic.
Opportunities don't come often. They come every once in a while. Very often, they come quietly and go by without being noticed. Therefore, it is advisable that you should value and treat them with care.
When an opportunity presents itself, it brings a promise but never realizes it on its own. If you want to achieve something or intend to fulfill one of your ambitions you must work hard, make efforts and get prepared. Otherwise, you will take no advantage of opportunities when they come to visit you. It is clear that in order to be highly qualified for our future jobs, we should make every possible preparation.
The difference between a man who succeeds and one who does not lies only in the way each treats opportunities. The successful person always makes adequate preparations to meet opportunities as they duly arrive. The unsuccessful person, on the other hand, works little and just waits to see them pass by. Obviously, the two different attitudes towards opportunities may lead to quite different consequences.
In my opinion, there are plenty of opportunities for everyone in our society, but only those who are prepared adequately and qualified highly can make use of them to achieve their purposes.
Candidate A: What do you think of the relationship between opportunity and ability?
Candidate B: One's ability is the fundamental, opportunity is the second. A combination of these two factors can make a success.
Interlocutor: One often misses the golden opportunity, what do you think of it?
Candidate B: Just as I said in my presentation, opportunities only belong to those who are prepared adequately and qualified highly. For those who miss them, it means that they don't have chances.
c) Do children learn best by observing the behavior of adults and copying it?
Candidate B: I would like to choose the third topic.
The process of growing up is very complex for children. Among countless factors that influence children's growth, the behavior of adults plays a significant role in shaping children's inclination and character. After the baby is born, the first and the nearest adults are his/her parents. Although the baby is just slurring pronunciation, the little baby has started to learn from their parents by observing and copying the adults' talk. This learning environment is important for the babies.
Along with the children's growth, adults will influence them much more, such as logical thinking, making decision, cooperation with others, etc.. The behavior of adults can give children both good and bad influence. Most of the behaviors represent adults' inclination. For instance, if media report chiefly on the shadow side of the society, children will easily incline to violence and excessive sex. Therefore, they will be infected with bad mental state.
Behavior is a direct and convincing method to teach children. Things are easier said than done. Parents always tell children those principles repeatedly, but most children cannot accept it through this boring method. Adults' behavior is the most effective education method to let them observe the whole process of how to deal with the problems. The children will learn from you naturally.
Children are like young trees, they need to be carefully irrigated, fertilized and trimmed. Your behavior will be greatly helpful to shape them into useful talents.
Candidate A: Can you talk about a saying to prove your idea?
Candidate B: Like father, like son.
Interlocutor: Some parents have their children, but don't educate them, what do you think of it?
Candidate B: Parents are the first teachers of their own child, who shoulder a great part of the responsibilities of the growth of the children. Unborn is better than unbred. Parents must take the responsibilities to bring up their children.