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.

11．（投诉信）

Directions: Write a letter of complaint according to the following situation: You bought an air conditioner in Sun Appliance and had it installed the other day, but you found that the fan made too much noise when the machine operated. You demand the store to send a representative to check it up.
Write your letter in no less than 150 words. Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter; use Li Ming instead. You do not need to write the address.

June 23, 2007
Dear Sir or Madam,
I’m writing to lodge the complaint about the poor quality of an air conditioner that I purchased from Sun Appliance Company.
Frankly speaking, Sun Appliance has always been my favorite. On April 4, 2007, I bought the air conditioner (serial number 12345) from one of your chain store located in Lang Fang. The machine operated well at first, but ten days later, there was a fault that bothered me, that is, the fan made so much noise that I could not sleep well at night. Worse still, the cooling system didn’t work well and the machine began to leak recently. Its poor quality ruined almost all my previous impression toward your products.
I strongly suggest that a repairman or a service engineer should be sent to my home without delay. I wonder if you could pinpoint the exact cause of the malfunction as soon as possible. If you can’t, I am afraid that I will request for full amount of refund or a new air conditioner.
I would appreciate all your assistance in this matter. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Look forward to your reply.
Yours Sincerely,
Li Ming

12．（邀请信）

Directions: Suppose you are the dean of the History Department, Peking University. You want to invite Professor Herb Jason, a well-known scholar of Chinese history, to come to attend an international conference on Chinese history. You’ll cover the following points:
1) The purpose of the invitation
2) The time and place of the conference
3) Ask him a favor of presenting a lecture to your students during his stay
Write your letter in no less than 150 words. Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter; use Li Ming instead. You do not need to write the address.

June 23, 2007
Dear Professor Herb Jason,
I am Li Ming, dean of the History Department, Peking University. I am writing to invite you to participate in an international convention that is to be held in Beijing from 22th to 25th, July, 2007.
Since your visit in Beijing last year, all the teachers that attended your lecture have been deeply impressed with your thorough knowledge and profound understanding of the subject. We would be pleased if you could come, as our guest of honor, to the International Conference on Chinese History, If possible, would you please deliver a speech on whatever subject that interests you. Enclosed in this letter is a time schedule for the event. You would, of course, receive our standard honorarium to cover traveling and other expenses. When you arrive in Beijing, I will certainly meet you at the airport.
Please let me know your date of arrival if you can come and tell us when you can make the trip. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. Look forward to your reply.

Yours sincerely,
Li Ming

13．（感谢信）

Directions: Write a letter of thanks according to the following situation. Once you were ill and were hospitalized for a few weeks in the Chaoyang Medical Center, Taiyuan, Shanxi Province. During your stay the entire staff were kind to you. When you came back home, you wrote them a letter of thanks.
Write your letter in no less than 150 words. Do not sign your own name at the end of the letter; use Li Ming instead. You do not need to write the address.

June 23, 2007
Dear Sir/Madam,
I’m writing to extend my heartfelt thanks to all the nurses and doctors in your hospital.
Last month, while I was on a business trip in Taiyuan, Shanxi province, I suffered from a bad cold and a fever, so I was sent to Ward Rom 201, Chaoyang Medical Center. During my stay at hospital, nurses on duty patiently took my temperature, regularly examined my body, and often fed meals to me. In addition, doctors prescribed me the most effective drugs and gave the best medical advice. Thanks to the constant care from the hospital staff, I recovered quickly. Now that I have returned home, the excellent service of your hospital still impresses me. I believe that as patient, I have received the most professional treatment and the most considerate care.
Please allow me to convey my sincere greetings toward the doctors and nurses that contribute all their efforts, patience and energy to their patients. Nothing can express my gratitude except my best wishes to them. If you have anything that needs my help, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Yours sincerely,
Li Ming