Reading classics plays a vital role in a person's growth.
By reading classic works, either Chinese or foreign,
one can learn a great deal about history, geography, politics, wars and customs.
Besides, as these classics are the outstanding representatives human language,
reading them can enormously improve our ability to read and
write and to inherit cultural traditions.
However, a diminishing number of people would like to read classics now.
A variety of factors may have contributed to this phenomenon,
but the following are the critical one.
In the first place, as the pace of life and work quickens,
people can find little time to indulge themselves in thick and serious works.
They would rather read light and easy magazines or surf the Internet and do online reading.
In the second place, most classics depict things far away from our real life,
which makes reading them seem irrelevant.
　　As college students, we should shoulder the burden of inheriting and developing cultural heritage.
Therefore, it is essential that we should make plans to read classics regularly.
Besides, we should try to influence people around us into reading them.
　　7.Keeping Pets
　　There is no denying the fact that keeping pets is a hotly debated topic today.
Some people think keeping pets is a good thing to do. They believe that pets,
like cats and dogs, can help relieve the loneliness suffered by senior citizens and
other social members who are confined to their homes for this reason or that.
They also argue that keeping pets helps mankind understand animals’ world and
develop positive feelings toward them.
　Others, however, hold the opposite view. They regard keeping pets as a useless
but harmful thing to do. First, pets can transmit diseases. Secondly,
the noises and dung of pets are sources of pollution. Last but not least,
as many rare birds and animals are kept as pets, they will surely be hunted on a large scale,
which means a threat to the balance of the ecosystem.
　　Weighing the pros and cons of these arguments,
I am inclined to agree with the latter. Anyway, we can lessen our loneliness and
express our love toward animals in other ways.
And it is my belief that only by placing man and other species on an equal basis can
we expect to have a lively and colorful world.
　　8. Where There Is a Will, There Is a Way
　　A well-known proverb goes that “where there is a will, there is a way”,
which means that one can find a way to success as long as he or she has a strong will.
With a strong will, one can focus all his energy on one point,
which makes his success possible. Without a strong will, however, one can be easily
distracted from his goal or discouraged by setbacks, which leads to his ultimate failure.
　　History abounds with examples of strong-willed figures winning success.
Actually, there is no better illustration of the proverb than the deeds of Gou Jian,
king of Yue in ancient China. Defeated by Fu Chai, king of Wu,
Gou tried every means possible to steel his will. Eventually,
with the help of Fan Li and Xi Shi, he managed to rebuild his country and his armies and
had Fu Chai taste the bitterness of failure.
　　In short, a strong will is essential if we want to make achievements in our studies or work,
or indeed in any other aspect of our lives. One should lose no chance to strength his will
and remember, God helps those who help themselves.
　　9. More Students Pursue Master Degrees
　　It can be seen from the chart that there have been sharp increases in the number of
students attending graduate entrance exams in a college in the past decades.
As the chart shows, the year 1996 witnessed only 200 students taking part in the exams.
In 2001, the number nearly doubled.
In 2006, far more students prepared themselves for graduate studies.
　　A number of factors could account for the change in the chart,
but the following are the most critical ones.
First, thanks to the policy of reform and opening-up, the nation’s economy has
been developing at a considerably high speed in the past decades.
Therefore, the people have more extra money for education.
Secondly, other relevant state policies and the boom of higher education provide students
with more opportunities to pursue higher degrees. Last but not least, the increasingly
fierce competition forces college students to further their study in order to gain
more edge of competition.
　　In a word, this chart is a perfect indicator of China’s fast expanding higher education.
Although many problems have arisen in the process,
we have every reason to believe that they can be solved in the near future with
effective measures taken.
　　10. Studying Abroad: Hardships and Rewards
　　The recent years have seen a dramatic increase in the number of Chinese studying abroad.
Obviously, studying abroad has its rewards. In the first place,
a student can have access to advanced science and technology as well as desirable
working conditions which might not be available at home. In the second place,
he can be exposed to entirely new ideas and trends. Last but not least,
by living and studying in a foreign country, one can improve his foreign language
much faster than at home.
　　However, just as every coin has two sides, studying abroad may also confront one with
a series of hardships. For one thing, learning a foreign language is far from
an easy thing at the beginning for most people. For another, a completely
new environment with different customs and habits may also be a barrier
to overseas students, especially to the young. An added difficulty lies with finance:
it can cost a lot to study abroad.
　　From my point of view, the advantages of studying abroad outweigh its disadvantages.
But it is a big decision to go abroad to study and one should take into consideration
his financial conditions and his ability to adapt to new surrounding. Personally,
I choose to go abroad and study if I find it necessary.