问答题 3.  Should calligraphy be compulsory? This has triggered heated debate across education circle. The following are the supporters' and opponents' opinion. Read carefully the opinions from both sides and write your response in NO LESS THAN 200 words, in which you should first summarize briefly the opinions from both sides and give your view in the issue. You should support yourself with information from the excerpts.
    Marks will be awarded for content relevance, content sufficiency, organization and language quality. Failure to follow the above instruction may result in a loss of marks.
YES NO
    Calligraphy will benefit students for the
rest of their lives.
    It is a cultural heritage and must be handed
down from generation to generation.
    In recent years, computers have changed
the way we communicate, with most neglecting
their handwriting skills in favor of keyboard
proficiency. As a result, fewer people are
practicing calligraphy, revealing a "handwriting
crisis" among today's adolescents.
    More attention should be paid to handwriting
by encouraging calligraphy education in primary
and middle schools. This will not only improve
their writing skills, but also teach students about
the history of Chinese characters, their unique
structure and the beauty of the national
language. 		    While the initiative has some positive
aspects, concern remains regarding its
practicality. In an era of digitalization, is it
right to pay special attention to Chinese
handwriting and, if so, how will schools attract
qualified teachers and relevant funding?
    Today, most of us depend on computers to
communicate, so forcing students to improve
their writing skills is a waste of time.
Educational content should become the focus,
with kids getting prepared for the computer era.
In the process of globalization, what matters is
the keyboard, not calligraphy.
    However, time at school is very limited,
and students are expected to learn only what is
essential. Calligraphy education, thus, might
have to be relegated to an extracurricular activity.
【正确答案】Sample:
   According to the above opinions from two opposite parties, I can make a short conclusion. As far as the supporters are concerned, they hold the opinion that writing remains important in daily life despite we live in a computerized era. Chinese characters contain a cultural memory and a huge amount of historical wealth. Thus, the development of handwriting should retain its place in modem society. However, it is the opponents' belief that because computers play an increasingly important role in everyday life, time should not be further wasted in teaching students to write. Instead, students should be given a choice to learn Chinese calligraphy or not.
   As for me, calligraphy should be compulsory. The reasons will be listed as follows. Firstly, Calligraphy is a very practical form of art and has formed a significant part of ancient Chinese culture, so we should make our efforts to preserve it. Secondly, to grant calligraphy education legal status is a good way of reviving this useful art. It contributes to the rejuvenation and prosperity of Chinese traditional culture. Finally, there are still plenty of students extremely interested in calligraphy and they all want to take calligraphy course in school so that they can receive proper training and favorable results.
   In a word, calligraphy is a symbol of nation's cultural status. We should take it seriously and try to make a fulfillment of its development.
【答案解析】