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  3. "Although many people think that the luxuries and conveniences of contemporary life are entirely harmless, they in fact, prevent

"Although many people think that the luxuries and conveniences of contemporary life are entirely harmless, they in fact, prevent

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问题     "Although many people think that the luxuries and conveniences of contemporary life are entirely harmless, they in fact, prevent people from developing into truly strong and independent individuals." Do you agree to the foregoing statement? Write an essay of about 400 words. You should supply an appropriate title for your essay.
    In the first part of your essay you should state clearly your main argument, and in the second part you should support your argument with appropriate details. In the last part you should bring what you have written to a natural conclusion or make a summary.
    Marks will be awarded for content, organization, grammar and appropriateness. Failure to follow the above instructions may result in a loss of marks.
选项
答案 Luxuries Actually Weaken Us Do modern luxuries serve to undermine our true strength and independence as individuals? The speaker believes so, and I tend to agree. Consider the automobile, for example. Most people consider the automobile a necessity rather than a luxury: yet it is for this very reason that the automobile so aptly supports the speaker’s point. To the extent that we depend on cars as crutches, they prevent us from becoming truly independent and strong in character as individuals. Consider first the effect of the automobile on our independence as individuals. Cars have diminished our independence in a number of significant respects. We’ve grown dependent on our cars for commuting to work. We rely on them like crutches for short trips to the corner store, and for carting our children to and from school. Moreover, the car has become a means not only to our assorted physical destinations but also to the attainment of our socioeconomic goals, insofar as the automobile has become a symbol of status. In fact, in my observation many, if not most, working professionals willingly undermine their financial security for the sake of being seen driving this year’s new SUV or luxury sedan. In short, we’ve become slaves to the automobile. Consider next the overall impact of the automobile on our strength as individuals, by which I mean strength of character, or mettle. I would be hard-pressed to list one way in which the automobile enhances one’s strength of character. Driving a powerful SUV might afford a person a feeling and appearance of strength, or machismo . But this feeling has nothing to do with a person’s true character. In contrast, there is a certain strength of character that comes with eschewing modern conveniences such as cars, and with the knowledge that one is contributing to a cleaner and quieter environment, a safer neighborhood, and arguably a more genteel society. Also, alternative modes of transportation such as bicycling and walking are forms of exercise which require and promote the virtue of self-discipline. Finally, in my observation people who have forsaken the automobile spend more time at home, where they are more inclined to prepare and even grow their own food, and to spend more time with their families. The former enhances one’s independence: the latter enhances the integrity of one’s values and the strength of one’s family. To sum up, the automobile helps to illustrate that when a luxury becomes a necessity it can sap our independence and strength as individuals. Perhaps our society is better off, on balance, with such "luxuries". However, by becoming slaves to the automobile we trade off a certain independence and inner strength.
解析     本文最大的亮点在于缩小了论证的切入点，以小见大。题目较为宽泛时，不少考生容易泛泛而谈，反而不得要领，本文为他们提供了一个很好的借鉴。作者没有铺开摊子，提及所有的奢侈品种类，而是从中选择了较具代表性的、更能说明问题的汽车为例进行论述，这样既有说服力，又让读者感觉言之有物。
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