英语四级考试真题作文2008. 6 Recreational ActivitiesAbundant recreational activities are available for people to release their strain and stress, ranging from sports to online activities. There is a hot debate arguing whether they are good for the public or not, especially for college students.As for such a question, different people hold different views. Some believe that recreation is helpful if we want to keep healthy physically and mentally. While there also sounds an opposite voice, which claims activities bring various problems. For instance, some young people become easily addicted to the virtual world online, which affects their studies badly, and may lead to worse consequences as well.As for me, I hold a belief that recreational activities do more good than harm. They do give ue a good chance to relax and build good personal relationships with others, too. As long as we can arrange our time reasonably, they will defintely provide more benefits for us.2008.12Limiting the Use of Disposable Plastic BagsRecently, limiting the use of disposable plastic bags has been brought to the public attention in China. No one would deny that it is a real convenience to use plastic bags in our daily life. They are applied in big supermarkets, ordinary shops, small stores and street markets. However, what would our society be like with the excessive use?The sharp increase in using plastic bags has given rise to such problems as environmental pollution. It takes many years for plastic bags to be absorbed by soil, which blocks the drainage system and causes water pollution. What’s worse, some bags are of poor-quality, and even harmful to people’s health.Awareness of the matter in question is one thing, but more important to us is the steps of how to cope with it. From June ist this year, the use of disposable plastic bags in supermarkets is limited strictly. Consequently, people come to take environment-friendly cloth bags and the business cost in supermarkets is cut down as well. Only in this way can we protect the environment and keep healthy.2009.6Free Admissions to Museums?Recently, more and more museums are open to the public free of charge. By doing so, they can attract more visitors, and offer the visitors more opportunities to explore and get easy access to world of history, culture and knowledge.However, some people view that the practice also brings problems and concerns. They are right in a sense. For one thing, their main concern is that with more visitors, it is possible that objects exhibited can get damaged more easily. For another, it becomes a huge economic burden for museums to run as usual without any profits from the visitors.As for me, I am absolutely in favor of this practice. The reason lies in the fact that the government should provide more opportunities for citizens to explore and experience the knowledge world. Moreover, kids and teenagers can acquire knowledge in a more vivid way in the museums. I hope all the people can share the national treasures in more free museums.2009. 12 Creating a Green CampusDuring recent years, the topic of a green campus, which has aroused wide public attention, is becoming more and more popular. Suggesting an environmentally as well as psychologically healthy place, a green campus, undoubtedly, is an indispensable part of the development of college students, and has a profound impact on both individuals and society.A green environment, rather than anything else, plays a decisive role in the growth of college students. Meanwhile, it should also be mentioned that a green campus includes not only the places where the students live, but also the mental environment. Without green surroundings, the soul of students would not be as pure as we wish. In that case, in no place other than campus should we strive to make a green atmosphere.Due to the seriousness of the situation, it is crucial for us to take effective measures to create a green campus. In the first place, its essential that laws and regulations should be worked out and enforced by the government and authorities. Furthermore, it is high time that we enhanced the awareness of the students. Only in this way can we get satisfactory results. With these measures taken, it is reasonable for us to believe that a green campus will be achieved in the near future.2010.6Due Attention Should Be Given to SpellingNowadays, an increasing number of students seem to attach less importance to spelling in English learning. Thus, numerous misspellings appear in their papers, and what’s worse, a smooth essay that can be read through is therefore totally impossible.There are various reasons responsible for this embarrassing situation. For one thing, much more students give priorities to oral English at the cost of doing less spelling exercises, let alone reflect on what they learned the other day. For another, many teachers put so much emphasis on communication and grammar in teaching that they seldom highlight spelling, and occasionally worse still, they themselves are caught in spelling.To change this situation, I hold to the belief that students and teachers should work together. On the one hand, students should stop complaining about spellings, and they should realize correct spelling is a must in learning English. On the other hand, teachers should pay more attention to spelling in teaching, for example, focusing on pronunciation and word formation. Only via joint efforts can students gain solid ground in spelling.2010.12How Should Parents Help Children to Be Independent？It is beyond reproach that children are always considered the apple of parents’eyes, which is particularly true of modern families with single child. However, many parents go so far as to arrange everyhting for their prince or princess, including their daily life, their studies and even their future.It is not an unusual sight that an increasing number of children are accompanied by parents on their first day of college. Hundred percent sure I can say that children will end up with excessive vanity as well as dependence with everyhting taken care of for them by parents. In such a world full of fierce competition, being independent is essential for children’s success. Thus, how should parents help children to be independent?In my suggestion, on the one hand, parents should change their mindset, and stop being “helicopter parents”to raise kids in free-ranging way; on the other hand, parents should teach children to be responsible for their behaviors instead of monopolizing things that should have beenmanaged by kids. I cling to the belief that only when parents realize what is in their kids’best interests can they help children develop independence.2011.6Online ShoppingOnline shopping is gaining increasing popularity recently and it promises to be imbedded into our daily life.Online shopping is beneficial to consumers and retailers alike in many ways. For instance, it is time-saving and energy-saving to purchase whatever they want over the Internet with lower prices. For retailers, they can save much cost without having to rent a house in the downtown and spending much on employees compared with traditional market sale.However, despite many benefits from online shopping, there are still some defects that cannot be ignored. For one thing, lack of face-to-face communication makes online shopping less reliable and trustworthy. For another, some dishonest merchants may provide false information, which renders it time-consuming to identify the commodity.From my perspective, the benefits of online shopping do outwiegh its defects, and to refuse to eat for fear of choking is always an unwise choice. What we should do is regulate the relative laws to bind the online trading activities. Only when a harmonious Internet environment is established can we enjoy the pleasure and convenience of online shopping.2011.12Nothing Succeeds Without a Strong WillThere is a widespread humorous saying, “Quitting smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I’ve done it hundreds of times.” Funny as it is, the saying ironically reflects the fact that strong will is the most essential quality for anyone that wants to achieve success.Our life involves all kinds of obstacles and setbacks which may exhaust us and knock us down. Therefore, we must have strong will to meet challenges of them. And what’s more, there are many temptations waiting for us when we are striving for success. For example, when you are doing your utmost to quit playing computer games, your friends just play with great satisfaction. Then how can you resist such a terrible temptation? Obviously, only with strong will can you conquer yourself and realize your goals.All in all, success only belongs to those who can suffer long years of patient toil and constant efforts, just as the old popular saying goes, “ Where there is a will, there is a way.2012. 6 On Excessive PackagingIn recent years, with the development of living standard, commodities with excessive packaging have poured into the markets and stores, such as luxurious moon cakes and traditional Chinese rice-pudding. Such a prevailing phenomenon leads to so serious waste that it has aroused people’s wide concern and strong criticism.Many reasons may account for excessive packaging. To begin with, an increasing number of companies and stores hold the idea that fancy packaging may attract potential customers and stimulate their purchasing desire, thus earning more profits. In addition, many customers have a wrong notion that the more delicate the package looks, the better quality the commodity may be, which encourages the evil trend of excessive packaging. What’s more, the prevailing phenomenon is partly due to the lack of related laws and regulations and strict enforcement of them.In my opinion, excessive packaging will not only waste the precious resources, but also lay heavier burden on the environment. To prevent this phenomenon from worsening, it is high time that we raised people’s awareness of rational consumption and saving resources.2012.121) Education PaysNumerous individuals are questioning the worth of higher education with the job market weakening, yet the chart of weekly earnings in 2010 reveals a forceful counterevidence that the income is on average proportional to one’s educational background. Those with a doctor’s degree earn nearly 3.5 times as much as those with a less-than-high-school diploma.As an increasing number of graduates find it difficult to get a satisfactory job after years of perseverance in their studies, a hot debate arises on whether education pays. Proponents of higher education insist that education is the ticket to a steadier and better-paying job and the basis of a comfortable life. However, the opponents assume that they will not stake their money on such a risky investment which does not guarantee a promising or beneficial career.However, we should not stop eating for fear of choking. A better education, in most cases, not only means a better job, a higher salary and a lower unemployment rate, but a paving stone to the integrated development and further improvement of oneself. In a broad sense, it is education that contributes to the development and advancement of the whole nation, which in turn benefits every individual. In conclusion, education is a worthy investment.2) Education PaysThe bar chart given by US Bureau of LAbor Statistics reflects the unemployment rate I 2010 among people with different educational background. From these statistics, it can be seen that the higher degree one possesses, the less likely he is to be unemployed.Generally speaking, two factors have contributed to this phenomenon. For one thing, the advancement of technology and the adjustment of industrial structure lead to a dramatic demand of workforces with high educational degrees. Therefore, it is natural for people with higher degrees to enjoy a more steady and well-paid job. For another, those with lower educational degrees tend to be dismissed and substituted more frequently because their jobs usually feature low technologies which can be done by anybody.As far as I am concerned, education is always a worthy investment. So, as individuals, first we should attach great importance to education. Second, the government and authorities should adopt relevant measures to ensure the equity of education. Only in this way can more people get the tickets to a much more comfortable life.。