TOEFL TWE:
Think of the most interesting class you have ever taken. Why did you enjoy this class so much? Use specific reasons and details to explain your answer.
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25 minutes:

Have you ever felt that you were thrown down to the abyss of sorrow and then immediately lifted to greatest joy in a class? I felt like i was taking a roller coaster and experienced all the ups and downs in life. It was a course recommended by my friend a few years ago. I still thank him for his wise suggestion even after so long. This class, called "the Power of Change" is certainly the most interesting class i have ever taken.

The reason I find it interesting is its experienced-sytle course design. Instead of simply lecturing, the class involves lots of activities that allow me to experience something important in my life and to get the self-awareness. Through the activities, i am able to meditate, ponder, and reflect myself, and then further discover the important aspect of my life. In the past, I was too busy to really give myself any space to do that.

The second reason is that it helps stimulate my potential to the extreme. Through the outsdoor activities such as rock climbing, team cooperation to solve some physical problems, brainstorming...etc, I know that everything is possible as long as you are serious about it. The activities the class offers require participants to face their own fear and overcome it. I never knew i could accomplish a "mission impossible" until I took part in this class.

The last reason, but not the least, that i enjoy this class is that it demands us to take part in a public service after class. I was relunctant to do it at first because i was so busy with my own work and family. However, when i finally did the service, i started to slow my pace and to look around my life. There are so many in need and i am the lucky one who can give but not to take. I learned how to give, to share and to help those helpless.

This one-month class is short but meaningful in my life. There are tears, joy, fears, excitments ....etc, that we all experience in our life. However, the class allows me to experience all of them just in one month, and it really helps me with my further career development. It was the most interesting class i have ever taken.

GMAT AWA: Argument

The following appeared in a memo from the vice president of the Fizzle Soda Company. “There is apparently a market for new beverages, as can be seen from the fact that other companies have recently introduced new juice drinks and sports drinks. Given this market and customer surveys indicating that many drinkers of regular Fizzle soda add chocolate syrup to their soda, we can increase our company’s sales by creating a new chocolate-flavored soda, ‘Choco-Fizz.’ Choco-Fizz will help us attract new customers and keep our customers who might otherwise switch to our competitors’ chocolate beverages. And Choco-Fizz will be more successful than Fizzle Plus, our most recently introduced flavor, because it will be easier to distinguish from regular Fizzle soda.
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修改過:

In this memo, the Vice President of the Fizzle Soda Company reaches the conclusion that Choco-Fizz will attarct new customers successfully. This argument is based on the survey indicating that many drinkers of regular Fizzle Soda add chocolate syrup to their soda. An additional reason given in spport his claim is the fact that Choco-Fizz has distinct feature from regular Fizzle soda. These two reasons, however, are weak and groundless for the following reasons.

First of all, the speaker assumes that the success of new juice drinks and sports drinks is due to a market for new beverage. There is no evidence, however, to support the assumption that all the drinks are analogous in all respects. Although there is a market for new juice drinks and sports drinks, it doesn't neccessarily suggest that there is one for any other beverages. Thus, the launch of another beverage could turn out to have no market and fail. Without further evidence to show that a market for any other new beverages does exist, it is too risky to launch a new product.

Secondly, the survey cited in the memo is lacking information to prove its representitiveness: how many persons were surveyed, how many responded, and where, when and how the survey was conducted. It is possible, for example, that 200 hundred were surveyed but only 2 responded. It is also possible that those who responded happened to be those who like to add chocolate syrup to the drink. Unless the argument offers evidence that would rule out these kinds of interpretations, it is reasonable to supect the representitiveness of its samples surveyed.

Finally, there is no evidence whatsoever to support the causal connection between the beverage's distinction and success. The fact that the Choco-Fizz is distinguishable from other beverages does not follow that it could be more successful. Without further reasoning, the statement that since Choco-Fizz is easier to distinguish from from regular beverages, it can be more successful is fallacious.

In sum, the speaker fails to provide adequate justification for his statement. As it stands, the reasoning does not constitute a logical argument in favor of the recommendation. To better assess the argument, we need additional detailed information about the basis of the reasoning and the survey so that we can establish the conclusion whether the launch of new Choco-Fizz will be successful.

GMAT AWA: Issue

“Whether in politics or in business, leaders of any group need to understand that learning to compromise is ultimately more important than winning.”
Discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the opinion stated above. Support your position with reasons and/or examples from your experience, observations, or reading.
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In the statement, the speaker seems to promote an idea that a leader should see compromise as a goal more important than winning. Contrary to this statement, in my opinion, to win is an ultimate goal for a nation or for an enterprise. Although sometimes it is necessary to compromise, it doesn't suggest to accept failure. Instead, while winning should be the cheif goal of a leader, compromise is merely a tool to achieve that goal.

First of all, winning often involves the survival of a nation or business. Consider a nation being invaded by another power, to compromise means to lose and to accept the unfair treaty harmful for its own citizens. When the 2nd World War was invoked, were it not for the Allies to choose not to compromise, it would be hard to imagine how the wolrd would become now. Business is also like a war. When a business faces compeition, it is more important to defend itself to win than to compromise in the first place. If the business does not fight for its own right and benefits, the outcome is usually miserable.


嗚嗚 寫不完啦！This is a difficult topic !
other ideas of mine:
The possibility of win-win.

TOEFL TWE:

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Parents are the best teachers.
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Who teach you the most? If I get tons of responses, I believe "parents" must not be the only answers. Everyone would hold different views that vary with his distinctive background. In most situations, parents are expected to be best teachers in our lives. However, my own experience and some exceptional cases suggest that parents are not necessarily the best teachers.

The first reason for my view is that parents may not be good examples to children. Consider those whose parents are slackers, gamblers or even criminals. Parents such as those are more likely to influence their children in a negative way. What can we expect them to be good teachers? Not to mention the “best teachers”! Take my own case to illustrate, I do not think my parents are my best teachers. This is not to say that they didn't teach me anything. However, I consider the one who influenced me the most as the teacher who taught me at elementary school. Concerning that my parents are poor-educated and didn’t really know how to teach and understand their children, the teacher instead showed me the way to help myself and to be a good kid.

In addition, whether one is seen as a best teacher really depends on individual perception. For example, a devoted Christian might deem The Almighty as his best teacher; for an obedient athlete, his best teacher could be the coach or his team players; an excellent scientist can learn the most from his professor at college. My cousin, a prodigal son, once told me his best teacher is a church preacher who led him to the right way. Indeed, one can view anyone as his best teacher: someone who inspire him, who encourage him, or even who help him.

In sum, although parents are supposed to teach their children well, parents might not. On the other hand, since everyone holds different opinions, it is too arbitrary to generalize that “parents are the best teachers”. /