练习 10
The chart gives information about UK immigration, emigration and net migration between 1999 and 2008.
Both immigration and emigration rates rose over the period shown, but the figures for immigration were
significantly higher. Net migration peaked in 2004 and 2007.
In 1999, over 450,000 people came to live in the UK, while the number of people who emigrated stood at
just under 300,000. The figure for net migration was around 160,000, and it remained at a similar level until
2003. From 1999 to 2004, the immigration rate rose by nearly 150,000 people, but there was a much smaller
rise in emigration. Net migration peaked at almost 250,000 people in 2004.
After 2004, the rate of immigration remained high, but the number of people emigrating fluctuated.
Emigration fell suddenly in 2007, before peaking at about 420,000 people in 2008. As a result, the net
migration figure rose to around 240,000 in 2007, but fell back to around 160,000 in 2008.
In recent years, there has been growing interest in the relationship between equality and personal
achievement. Some people believe that individuals can achieve more in egalitarian societies. Others
believe that high levels of personal achievement are possible only if individuals are free to succeed or
fail according to their individual merits.
What is your view of the relationship between equality and personal success?
In my opinion, an egalitarian society is one in which everyone has the same rights and the same
opportunities. I completely agree that people can achieve more in this kind of society.
Education is an important factor with regard to personal success in life. I believe that all children should
have access to free schooling, and higher education should be either free or affordable for all those who
chose to pursue a university degree. In a society without free schooling or affordable higher education, only
children and young adults from wealthier families would have access to the best learning opportunities,
and they would therefore be better prepared for the job market. This kind of inequality would ensure the
success of some but harm the prospects of others.
I would argue that equal rights and opportunities are not in conflict with people’s freedom to succeed or fail.
In other words, equality does not mean that people lose their motivation to succeed, or that they are not
allowed to fail. On the contrary, I believe that most people would feel more motivated to work hard and
reach their potential if they thought that they lived in a fair society. Those who did not make the same effort
would know that they had wasted their opportunity. Inequality, on the other hand, would be more likely to
demotivate people because they would know that the odds of success were stacked in favour of those from
privileged backgrounds.
In conclusion, it seems to me that there is a positive relationship between equality and personal success.
Explain some of the ways in which humans are damaging the environment. What can governments do
to address these problems? What can individual people do?
Humans are responsible for a variety of environmental problems, but we can also take steps to reduce the
damage that we are causing to the planet. This essay will discuss environmental problems and the measures
that governments and individuals can take to address these problems.
Two of the biggest threats to the environment are air pollution and waste. Gas emissions from factories and
exhaust fumes from vehicles lead to global warming, which may have a devastating effect on the planet in
the future. As the human population increases, we are also producing ever greater quantities of waste, which
contaminates the earth and pollutes rivers and oceans.
Governments could certainly make more effort to reduce air pollution. They could introduce laws to limit
emissions from factories or to force companies to use renewable energy from solar, wind or water power.
They could also impose ‘green taxes’ on drivers and airline companies. In this way, people would be
encouraged to use public transport and to take fewer flights abroad, therefore reducing emissions.
Individuals should also take responsibility for the impact they have on the environment. They can take
public transport rather than driving, choose products with less packaging, and recycle as much as possible.
Most supermarkets now provide reusable bags for shoppers as well as ‘banks’ for recycling glass, plastic
and paper in their car parks. By reusing and recycling, we can help to reduce waste.
In conclusion, both national governments and individuals must play their part in looking after the
environment.