9The Power of MusicMusic is the universal language of mankind. Music is everywhere. We can hear it in restaurants, airports, railway stations, supermarkets, department stores, banks, hospitals, and many other public places. Music of all kinds is now available, and tapes and CDs are not very expensive.Music plays an important role in our everyday lives. Music can express emotions that are beyond speech and give us a better feeling about ourselves and about everything around us. It can change our attitudes towards many things.When we feel sad, music is moonlight in the gloomy night of life which can cheer us up; when we are tired and bored, music can make us relaxed, it has charms to soothe the savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak. When we are working or studying, music can provide us with a pleasant environment so that we can work or study more efficiently. Music can make people work faster and with more energy. The best, most beautiful, and most perfect way that we have of expressing a sweet concord of mind to each other is by music. Music can also lull the babies to sleep and can even make cows produce more milk. In a word, music is irresistible and life without music would be boring and monotonous.Unit 8 Nature or Nurture"Which Has Had More Influence on You, Heredity or Environment?"I always believe that a person can succeed in doing anything he feels interested in. Your environment provides all sorts of opportunities and the things necessary for your personalpursuit and achievement.Which has had more influence on you, heredity or environment? This is a difficult question to answer.First, let us examine the influence of heredity. All my classmates call me "Fat Yu" because I am fat. My father is also fat, so I can't help connecting my fatness with his! Although I can't be absolutely sure that it comes from my father, I do think that I probably have a gene which he passed on to me and which determines my body build or shape.Aside from that gene, my father gave me many excellent qualities. For example, I think I am good at abstract thinking. My father is an engineer and he often tells me that he was very good at Math and Physics at middle school and college. So thanks to these genes of his I got into this university.However, I have many other characteristics, which may come from the environment I grew up in. For example, my father and mother are conservative and traditional. They lack a spirit of adventure and they have a hard time understanding many of the new things in China today. I, on the contrary, have the desire to explore and I hope I can become a pioneer of reform. I often have many original thoughts and ideas. All changes takingplace around me whet my appetite for exploration.In conclusion, I think both heredity and environment have influenced me greatly. Heredity created me, but environment has improved me.Unit 7 The Joy of TravelTraveling Is WonderfulIn school we always study hard and rarely have time for play and relaxation. During our vacation, we can do what we like. Some students go swimming, watch TV, go to the cinema, etc. But all I want to do is to travel.Traveling is interesting. You can see a lot of fascinating things and you can learn about history. Three years ago, I went to Beijing. When I was in the Summer Palace, I walked through the famous Long Corridor, admiring the beautiful pictures drawn on it. In the Imperial Palace, I saw a lot of rare treasures I had never seen before. I went to the Great Wall as well as the Ming Tombs. After visiting these famous places, I can’t help feeling proud of my great motherland.I think it is important to travel to different countries, if possible, so that you can learn about different cultures and customs. It can widen your knowledge of the world. In addition to learning new things, you can also discover the beauty of nature by yourself. When you are on the top of a mountain, you can breathe fresh air, you can see green scenery below and you can hear the sounds of nature. It is a very wonderful feeling.Now I’d like to invite you to go on a trip with me. Can you refuse? Unit 6 AnimalsAnimals Should Be TrainedThere are a wide variety of animals in the world. And many of them are highly intelligent. So if we train some animals to work for human beings, we can save a lot of money and manpower.First, some kinds of animals can be trained based on their capacity to do certain types of jobs better than humans. For example, since dogs have a superior ability to track down odors, we can train them to find illegal drugs, earthquake victims, or even ancient tombs.Second, some animals can even lend us their hands. The monkey is a good example. Monkeys can be trained to learn to open doors, fetch tools, bring books, etc. So they can help those who cannot move about freely because of some physical problems. Monkeys make the lives of these people happier and more comfortable.Finally, in some cases, using animals not only saves money but also trouble. Using dolphins as underwater guards can be better and cheaper than any man-made tracking devices.In a word, animals should be trained to help humans. If we train animals in the proper way, both humans and animals can get along very well.Unit 4 Career PlanningApplication LetterMay 5, _____Apartment 2E3465 Boulevard EastDallas, TX 75221Fidelity National BankP.O. Box 42BDallas, TX 75221Dear Sir or Madam:I would like to be considered as an applicant for the teller trainee position listed in today's Dallas Tribune.I am 18 years old. I will graduate from North High School in June. Since my sophomore year, I have been taking business courses. I have taken Accounting 1 and 2, Business Law, Economics, and Word Processing. During my junior year, I participated in the Co-op Program in which I attended school one week and worked the alternate week. My work placement was at the Western Insurance Company, where I learned basic accounting procedures. I am currently employed part-time as a cashier at a Pathway Supermarket. These positions helped me to develop skills and confidence for handling large sums of money.I would be glad to come for an interview at your convenience. My telephone number is 775-2684. I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely,Thomas GuptonDirections:Write an article entitled “My Advice to Pessimists”. Your writing must cover the following two points:1）disadvantages of pessimism2）way(s) of overcoming pessimismIt is believed that pessimism often leads to hopelessness, sickness and failure, while optimism usually brings happiness, good health and success. Pessimists also make those around them very miserable. Therefore, pessimists should change their way of thinking and overcome the negative aspects of their personalities. Here are a few tips for them:1. Try to smile more often. A smile has great power. It can chase sadness away. It will make you and other people feel happy. And it may even make things easier and better. Smiling in the morning makes a good beginning for the day. A smile is the most important sign of optimism.2. Build up your self-confidence.Try to discover as many of your personal strengths as you can. Then write them all down. Read them several times when you are getting ready to do something or when you are facing difficulties. Your list will help you see your abilities.3. Change your way of thinking.Don't always think that things will go wrong or that if they do there will be terrible results. Instead, convince yourself that things will improve and that you can work hard to help improve them. If you fail, think about what you have learned from the failure. If you succeed, praise yourself. Don't be too modest! There is nothing more encouraging than self-praise.Try your best to become an optimist.。