Issue037 – Teamwork or Strong Individual

“Businesses and other organizations have overemphasized the importance of working as a team. Clearly, in any human group, it is the strong individual, the person with the most commitment and energy, who gets things done.”

Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your views with reasons and/or examples from your own experience, observations, or reading.

Reference:

  • Arco Issue 36
  • 老莫舊版作文 Issue 36

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氣候暖化,北極今夏可能出現無冰現象

氣候暖化 北極今夏可能出現無冰現象
更新日期:2008/06/29 16:20 陳維聰

(法新社華盛頓二十八日電) 一名美國科學家昨天說,北極今年夏季可能短暫出現無冰現象。這將是因為地球暖化,北極冰層在融化中進入新階段的重大事件。

科羅拉多州波爾德的美國國家冰雪資料中心科學家塞瑞哲說:「今年夏季末,我們可能在北極找不到冰。原因是,北極地區目前覆蓋的冰非常薄,我們稱之為第一年冰,這層薄冰將在夏季融化。」

如果這層薄冰今年夏季完全融化,雖然只是短暫的,不過這將會是人類歷史上首次發生這種現象。

塞瑞哲認為,發生這種現象的機率為百分之五十,如果真的發生,而且「可能」發生在九月,船有可能從阿拉斯加直接開到北極。

塞瑞哲指出,即使北極沒有冰,今年夏季北極海的其他地區仍會有冰。

不過他承認北極無冰在人們心目中的象徵性意義,他說,這再次凸顯出地球暖化對環境造成的改變。

他說:「北極應該有冰,不過今年夏季末可能不會有,這告訴我們,有些事不對勁。」

他說:「明顯地,如果你回顧過去三年我們所見到的情況,以及我們的未來走向,我們是在長期走下坡,二零三零年左右,北冰洋夏季可能完全沒有冰。」

他回憶說,幾年前,預料到二零五零年和二一零零年之前都不會發生這種情況。他說,就個人而言,他無法想像現在會發生這種情況。

Argument110 – Take Heart business plan

The following appeared as part of a business plan created by the management of the Take Heart Fitness Center.

“After opening the new swimming pool early last summer, Take Heart saw a 12 percent increase in the use of the center by members. Therefore, in order to increase the number of our members and thus our revenues, which depend on membership fees, we should continue to add new recreational facilities in subsequent years: for example, a multipurpose game room, a tennis court, and a miniature golf course. Being the only center in the area offering this range of activities would give us a competitive advantage in the health and recreation market.”

Discuss how well reasoned you find this argument. In your discussion be sure to analyze the line of reasoning and the use of evidence in the argument.

Reference:

  • Arco Argument 102
  • 老莫舊版作文 Argument 100

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English Composition Practice

GMAT 和 TOEFL 都要考寫作,而要加強寫作的唯一方式就是多寫。因此從今天開始要強迫自己每天至少寫一篇 issue 和 argument。在這裡的文章都是自己練習寫的,如果 ETS 看到這個然後拿這個來說我考試時寫的是抄襲的話,那就有趣了。我也非常歡迎大家的 comment,這樣才能讓自己寫得更好。希望大家不吝指教,謝謝各位。

Both GMAT and TOEFL test writing skills. The best ways to improve one’s composition are to write, to write, and to write. Therefore, I’ve made up my mind to compose one issue essay and one argument essay every day. All articles here are original works. If ETS finds that my articles in the GMAT exam are similar to the posts here, hopefully I will not be accused of plagiarism!

暫離職場

停寫 blog 三個多月,其實是因為這段時間,一邊工作,一邊補 GMAT 和 TOEFL,中間還要準備年底結婚的事。諸事紛陳,案牘勞形,因此就暫時沒寫 blog。而從七月一號起,感謝老闆最後還是願意幫忙,得以請了一個三個月左右的長假(當然是不給薪),這段時間,可要好好開始努力閉關苦讀囉!

暫離職場,雖然有專心唸書的自在,但也有沒有收入的痛苦,真是兩難呀。想到付出這樣的成本,希望自己要能得到對等的成果呀!加油!