#9. Live in a small town or in a big city?
(source: Li Xiaolai, TOEFL Writing Essays 185)
People seldom agree with each other even in such trivial issues as preference between a big city and
a small town. It's a little bit haste to say that it is better to live in a big city than in a smal
l town, or vice versa.
Living in a big city has several benefits. First, there're more job opportunities readily available
in big cities than in a small town. Moreover, not merely are there more job positions in big cities
and the qualities of the position are much higher as well. In addition, the pay is more decent. Seco
nd, children are supposed to be able to receive an education with a higher quality compared with the
ir counterparts who live in a small town. For families, children's education is always put in the fi
rst place. Finally, living in a big city usually has a superior living standard to that in a small t
own. There are more commodities and services in city markets; there are more public utilities availa
ble in big cities; there are even much more television channels in big cities.
However, living in a small town also has some advantages. People who live in a small town often have
a much comfortable life style. Most of them do not have to suffer high working stress. Although the
average pay is much less than that of big cities, the price of daily necessities, such as vegetable
s or meat, is usually less expensive. Instead of suffering loneliness which is prevalent in big citi
es, children might grow up more healthily because of harmonious relationship among residents in smal
l town. People in a small town do not have to get up so early in the morning because there has been
no traffic jam, and nobody drive so fast in a small town as to cause car accidents. They might have
fewer channels in television, but they have more friends readily available to chat or entertain with
.
According to my current situation, although I am longing for the cozy atmosphere and relationship am
ong neighbors and friends which almost only exist in small cities, I have chosen to live in one of t
he biggest cities in my country—Beijing, since I have found a pretty good job here, and a decent pay
. I think I would prefer living in a small town when I get retired one day.