Listen to part of a radio discussion between two people, Louisa and William, who have been to a new modern art museum, and decide whether the following are mentioned by only one of the speakers, or by both of them.
Write:
1. It is not easy to find your way round the museum.
2. The title of the main exhibition reflects current ideas in art.
3. True art need not provoke an extreme reaction.
4. The exhibition is too showy.
5. Art should sometimes be soothing.
Listen to a lecture about sleep and exams and match each number (1-5) in Column I with one letter (A-J) in Column II to make a correct statement according to what is stated or implied by the speaker.
1. Last-minute cramming
2. A mid-adolescent sleeper
3. Nocturnal memory mechanism
4. Emotion-driven recollection
5. Slow-wave sleep
A. guarantees permanent recall of everything studied.
B. helps only the short-term memory.
C. occurs mainly when we are awake and concentrating hard.
D. makes it easier to remember lessons or facts.
E. shows that adults need 10-12 hours of sleep each night.
F. needs about 8-10 hours of sleep every night.
G. proves that cramming the night before the exam is the best strategy.
H. moves information from the short-term to the long-term memory.
I. means students don't need to review a lesson again.
J. is the stage when the brain transfers information into the long-term memory.
Listen to part of a radio discussion about graphology, the study of handwriting, and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.
According to Richard, comments on a client's personality traits should only be made if the graphologist _____.
is sure that the sample of handwriting is genuine
is sure his results are supported by the rest of his team
can back up his initial findings with further evidence
can confirm his findings in different handwriting samples
What is Maria's view of the conclusions which graphologists arrive at?
What, in Richard's view, is the key to an understanding of a client's personality?
According to Richard, some businesses with North American links _____.
use graphology reluctantly in recruitment
are unwilling to disclose that they use graphology
are sceptical about the value of graphology
are trading more successfully because of graphology
What does Maria conclude about the use of graphology?
Listen to a talk about silence and truth and fill in the blanks with the missing information. Write NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the recording for each answer.
The speaker begins with a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr., who said we remember the silence of our friends more than the words of our . He encourages students to explore their own through poetry. In his classroom, his four core principles are to read critically, write consciously, speak clearly, and . During Lent, he once gave up as a personal sacrifice, but realised he had already given up his long before. When confronted with injustice against others, he often responded with , which he calls the of fear. He compares silence to tragedies and crises, such as the Rwandan genocide and . To remind himself to always speak up, he imagines that a is tucked under his tongue. In the end, he stresses that what you really need is not , but simply your voice.
Read the following passage and choose the best answer for each blank.
BOOKS BEFORE SCHOOL?
Many people believe that they should begin to teach their children to read when they are scarcely more than toddlers. This is fine if the child shows a real interest but forcing a child could be if she isn't ready. Wise parents will have a attitude and take the lead from their child. What they should provide is a selection of books and other activities. Nowadays, there is plenty of good available for young children, and of course, seeing plenty of books in use around the house will also encourage them to read. In the modern world, books are no longer the only source of stories and information. There is also a huge range of videos, which can and extend the pleasure a child finds in a book and are equally valuable in helping to increase vocabulary and concentration. Television gets a bad as far as children are concerned, mainly because too many spend too much time watching programs not intended for their age group. Too many television programs attract an incurious, uncritical attitude that is going to make learning more difficult. However, viewing of programs designed for young children can be useful. Just as adults enjoy reading a book after seeing it on television, so children will pounce on books which their favorite television characters, and videos can add a new to a story known from a book.
Read the passage, then fill in the blanks with the correct form of the words given in the box.
There are FOUR words that you do not need to use. The first one, (0), has been done as an example.
|
VALUE | VISION | RARE | APPRECIATION | ATTRACT CONSUMPTION | DISTINCT | FRAGRANCE | SATISFY | REPRESENT |
The Pearl of the Land
Truffles are considered the jewels of the culinary world. Their strong and (0) ...fragrant... aroma is instantly recognizable, reminding many of the richness of the earth itself. For centuries, they have been regarded as one of the most ingredients available to chefs and food lovers alike.
Although their irregular shape may not be particularly , they can still appear striking when presented in refined dishes. Demand for this delicacy has continued to increase, and with limited supply, prices have soared dramatically.
Even though they are often served in tiny amounts, their presence is enough to truly diners and create an unforgettable dining experience.
The passage below contains FIVE grammatical mistakes. Identify the mistakes and write their correct forms.
Example: have -> has
The Rise of Artificial Intelligence
[content][/content]
Fill in each blank with ONE best word.
In recent years, a great deal of international attention has focused on the idea that we should be aiming to meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet . This concept, widely known "sustainable development," has become one of the central goals of global policy, and an integral part of the wider aim is the use of renewable sources of energy.
Tidal power, which relies on the movement of the oceanic tides to generate electricity, has long been regarded as a promising solution, especially to the predictability of tides compared to other sources of energy. Until recently, however, tidal power had been largely neglected of its relatively high costs.
If this obstacle can overcome, tidal power may represent an almost inexhaustible source of energy, and recent technological advances already this prospect more realistic. If costs continue to fall, electricity produced in this way could become competitive conventional forms of energy on the open market.
Although challenges remain, many experts believe tidal power is of providing a clean and reliable energy supply. Its potential contribution is so significant it is now considered far more important than in the past, investment in research is expected to increase steadily in the coming years.
Read an extract from an article and do the tasks that follow.
NEW WAYS OF LOOKING AT HISTORY
Though few modern readers are familiar with LP Hartley's novel The Go-Between, many will know the novel's often quoted opening line: 'The past is a foreign country: they do things differently there.' In Hartley's novel, published in 1953, the remark indicates the distance that separates an elderly narrator from the dramatic events of his youth. But the phrase has since been gleefully adopted by historians hoping to dramatise the gulf between present and bygone ages. Being so remote, the past is both alluring and incomprehensible. It is the natural hurdle all historians must overcome to shed light on earlier times. Since the days of Herodotus, the father of history who lived 2500 years ago, it has had them scrambling for new ways to acquaint today's audiences with yesterday's events.
Amid the current mass of works of popular historical non-fiction, the question of how to bring history to life seems more pressing than ever. The historian Ian Mortimer takes a literal approach: if the past is a foreign country, then a foreigner's guidebook might help. His book The Time Traveller's Guide to Medieval England is exactly that, offering 'an investigation into the sensations of being alive in different times'. The resulting portrait of the era is as lively and entertaining as it is informative. Yet it is worth considering his claims about his own approach. 'In traditional history, what we can say about the past is dictated by the selection and interpretation of evidence.' It would be foolish, however, to suppose that Mortimer's own text has not relied on precisely this kind of selection. Mortimer presents events as if they were unfolding, putting the facts in the present tense. Yet the illusion of first-hand historical experience is shattered the moment we are thrown 50 years backwards or forwards in order to provide context. Mortimer's refusal to commit to a temporal point of view undermines the immediacy he attempts to convey.
Unlike Mortimer, Philip Matyszak, author of Ancient Rome on Five Denarii a Day, does not claim to tread new historiographical ground. His aim is to inform and amuse, and in this he succeeds. The light-hearted approach pays off, though it occasionally descends into juvenile and anachronistic humour: Oedipus is referred to as 'he of the complex'. This raises the question of what readership the book is really aimed at. Also, the problem with time-travellers' guides is that they often say more about the people who wrote them than about the people they describe. Mortimer's avowal that 'climate change is another factor affecting the landscape' in 14th-century England reflects worries more modern than medieval, while Matyszak's assertion that 'it is a common misconception among visitors that the Acropolis is the Parthenon' sounds more like a complaint about the ignorance of today's tourists.
'Understanding the past is a matter of experience as well as knowledge,' Mortimer declares. This may well be the manifesto for those who, not satisfied with virtual tours of history, take history into their own hands. Historical re-enactors - yes, those individuals whose idea of fun is to dress up and stage mock battles - provide the most literal interpretation of history as experience. Humorist Tim Moore set out to explore this world in his book I Believe in Yesterday. In Berne, Switzerland, he suffers in the name of 'utter authenticity' during the restaged siege of Grandson, circa 1474. In the US he endures a stint of 'relentless and uncompromising immersion with re-enactment's seasoned elite,' revisiting 1864's battle of Red River during the American Civil War. Moore's quest for 'my inner ancient' is fuelled by his anxieties about our modern inability to deploy the skills that came naturally to our ancestors. More often, he finds, it is a 'refreshingly simple impulse to get away from it all' that gets people into period attire. Many civil war re-enactors seek redress: 'History is written by the winners but re-enactment gives the losers a belated chance to scribble in the margins.' For others it's 'a simple and truly heart-warming quest for gregarious community'.
Perhaps re-enactment is the closest we can get to Mortimer's ideal of what history should be: 'A striving to make spiritual, emotional, poetic, dramatic and inspirational connections with our forebears'. Interestingly, Mortimer quotes the poet WH Auden, who remarked that to understand your own country it helps to have lived in at least two others. Perhaps the same applies to historical eras. The central question, for popular historians and historical re-enactors alike, is not how to animate the past but how to make it cast light on us today.
The quotation from Hartley's The Go-Between is well known, even among those unfamiliar with the novel itself.
True
False
Not Given
Mortimer rejects the idea that historical writing relies on selecting and interpreting evidence.
True
False
Not Given
Matyszak's humorous approach sometimes risks being inaccurate or inappropriate.
True
False
Not Given
Both Mortimer and Matyszak explicitly criticise tourists for their ignorance.
True
False
Not Given
Historical re-enactors aim to correct mistakes made by professional historians.
Some re-enactors participate because they enjoy the sense of belonging to a group.
True
False
Not Given
Read the summary and fill in the blank with NO MORE THAN THREE WORDS taken from the "NEW WAYS OF LOOKING AT HISTORY" passage.
Although the past may appear to modern readers, historians continually search for ways to make it accessible. Ian Mortimer, in The Time Traveller’s Guide to Medieval England, tries to create the of being alive in another time, though his shifts in timeframe weaken the sense of . By contrast, Philip Matyszak offers light-hearted historical guidebooks, though his humour occasionally feels . Both books, however, sometimes say more about the them than about the people they describe.
Another approach involves groups of , in which people dress up and stage mock battles to experience the past. Tim Moore, in I Believe in Yesterday, explores this world, enduring in the name of authenticity. He finds that participants are motivated either by a wish for or by a desire for companionship and escape from modern life.
Some paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose the most suitable paragraph from the list A-G for each part of the text.
There is one extra paragraph which you do not need to use.
Missing paragraphs
A. Yet, eastern thought and religions have received an onslaught of criticism on the grounds that they are kept separate from everyday life and cannot be a valid and feasible modus vivendi, as shown in the vast relevant literature, with the innumerable accounts of westerners' harrowing experiences in Buddhist monasteries etc. Not all people can have their hair cut or eat rice and vegetables for months or even years, living in desolate huts and praying to Gods they know nothing about.
B. In light of this, we refer to western thought as rational, absolute and abstract, placing a great deal of importance on reason and the intellect; and eastern thought as intuitive, mystical and concrescent, laying emphasis on spiritual harmony, on the ways to develop a sound personality or, rather, individuality. Personality and individuality have always been treated as synonymous in western thought, which is wrong. The former has to do with the self-image that we want to project and deploy in relation to our environment and others; the latter with our inner strength and capacities that form the core of our existence and usually give us impetus to act. It is individuality that characterised the lives of many legendary figures in history. Consider Peter the Great and Alexander the Great, whose immense wit transformed the world and is etched on our memories.
C. Nevertheless, despite the fact that eastern and western civilizations evince distinct characteristics, they are meant to be a unifying force, a wealth of knowledge and experience that we should all tap into. Students should be encouraged to tackle knowledge in their own, individual, holistic way; they should be allowed to read, write and listen as well as to touch, smell and feel. Modern psychotherapy, in conjunction with old eastern and western theories of learning, have stressed children's need for play and the fundamental role the latter plays in knowledge acquisition.
D. It is against this background of western corruption that the educational system is called on to function. On the face of it, it functions properly and effectively, producing highly motivated people determined to succeed in their field; individuals who claim to work towards their goals and the betterment of society. History, though, has recorded wars and destruction, oppression and evil. In the same vein, western education has produced cold hedonists who live in an ivory tower, bereft of feeling, concerned only with their own success, to the detriment of other people.
E. The right hemisphere, which has been grossly neglected - perhaps severely damaged - by the westerner, has a vital contribution to make. We can find out how important it is if we try to engage in meditation; and in doing so, we can also find out the extent to which our left brain or "logical mind" tends to control the right brain or "intuitive mind."
F. Actually, these are not really a continuum but rather a continuous process, whereby intellect and affect mingle together to form the basis of new knowledge and experience. Man is a tripartite entity, comprising the body, the mind, and the soul or spirit. Let us not lose sight of this unity.
G. But what does it mean to become individuals? Becoming individuals certainly means striving for a holistic, humanistic education, liberated from the constraints imposed by western civilization. It means individualising the approaches and methods on which western education is based; considering the needs of our students and adjusting our behaviour and goals accordingly. It means a lot of things; the most crucial is trying to develop, in a holistic, unfragmented way, all aspects of human personality - cognitive or intellectual, emotional or affective.
Most people contend that the education system, as it manifests itself in many western countries, is inadequate and even pernicious. This general discontent should not be ignored; on the contrary, it should sensitize us to the problems we are confronted with in our attempt to become educated citizens and, most importantly, individuals.
The reason why I have referred to "western education" is that I want to make the distinction between western and eastern civilization. Education should not be viewed merely as an institution whose aim is to transform uneducated, uncouth people into a kind of intelligentsia. Rather it should be regarded as the decantation of human thought, whether this has to do with cognition, experience, or emotion. It is a repository of ideas and theories that have hitherto concerned philosophers, scientists, laymen, and as such it is influenced by the moral, philosophical and scientific outlook on life prevailing in each place. For example, the educational systems in Europe and America are markedly different from those in Asia or India, primarily because the religious concepts and theories underlying and permeating these two civilizations, eastern and western, have distinct orientations.
No doubt, western thought, with its undue emphasis on reason and cognition, has contrived to exacerbate problems, leading to human oppression and misery. Although it has helped improve our standard of living and has ushered us in a new, promising dimension and era, it has nevertheless transformed us into a self-destructive mass baying for its own blood! On the other hand, eastern thought, with its emphasis on inner harmony and equilibrium that can lead to spiritual elevation, has definitely provided the disillusioned westerner with a lot of answers and solutions to his/her predicaments.
However, it is all these small creature comforts that have led to the separation between the East and the West. A Westerner takes so many things for granted; he has so many dreams and aspirations, but these have always to do with social identity and status, success and bank accounts. He uses the telephone and television to communicate with others; he has a beautiful house and a fast car; he is concerned with how he looks and what people think of him; he is always torn between desire and duty, love and hate. That is why he cannot bring himself to renounce luxury and security. He engages in a ruthless struggle for survival and ends up being an animal under the thin veneer of civilization. It is only on the brink of destruction and disillusion that he decides to turn over a new leaf and go through the "harrowing experiences" of living in a different, disciplined and illuminating way; to discover the true meaning of life.
Western education has focused mainly on knowledge and learning, without offering insights into how individuals can learn to learn. Its aim has been to teach students certain facts in a mechanistic way, paying no attention to feeling - a significant aspect of our essence. Modern education is, to a greater or lesser extent, concerned with today's needs, in terms of manpower and scientific advances. It does not probe into the human psyche so as to discover those powers and resources that can shed some light on our problems.
The human mind is a wonderful, yet untapped, mystery that can spring serendipitous surprises. Science is certainly beginning to unravel its mysteries and education must try to train it. Both right and left brain capacities should be developed. The distinction between the right- and left-hemisphere of the brain, known as lateralization, is no excuse for adhering strictly to reason and cognition, i.e., the realm of the left hemisphere.
"Intellect or affect?" one may ask. Certainly both. We should not view them as two forces vying with each other, but as the ends on a continuum that is called self-awareness and spiritual elevation.
Read the following passage and choose the correct answer to each of the questions.
The Poison of Envy
Life is full of reminders of what we lack, and they usually come in the form of other people. There is always someone more successful, more talented, more attractive, or more advanced in meeting important 'milestones' than we are. We encounter these people every day - in fact, they are often our friends, family members and colleagues. Sometimes these encounters can leave us with a bitter taste in our mouths, or a green glow in our eyes - that familiar sting of envy. The first clue that envy is lurking may be irrational feelings of hostility towards the object of our envy. Just the sight of them might make your skin crawl, even though they have done nothing wrong that you can put your finger on. If we don't unravel this form of vague resentment and identify its green-coloured root, it can often get the better of us, seriously damaging our relationships. [A] It also simply feels horrible. So what can we do to disarm the green-eyed monster when it strikes?
The first step in fighting envy is acknowledging that we are experiencing it. Admitting this can be very threatening, because it means acknowledging our own weaknesses and insecurity. [B] It is tempting to deny envy by focusing on our own strengths: 'Sure, he has a nice car, but I'm better looking' is not going to get you very far. This might console you in the moment, but sooner or later someone is going to come along who has a nicer car than you and is better looking. In other words, reassuring ourselves about our own enviable traits is unlikely to work as a long-term solution, and it maintains the same insecure process of social comparison where someone else needs to be put down in order for us to feel boosted up. Instead, acknowledge that it is hard to see someone do well when you're struggling, and remind yourself that you are very much not alone in your feelings of inadequacy. Being imperfect is synonymous with being human.
Although making someone the object of envy seems almost like a compliment, it can be quite dehumanising. It masks the full picture of who that person is and what their life is like, and reduces them to something very narrow. Have you ever envied someone who seemed to have the perfect life, only to find out later that they were in fact suffering in a very major way? We just don't have the opportunity to learn about someone's difficulties when we're overwhelmed by our envy of their seemingly charmed life. [C] It's not that we should seek out others' suffering, searching for chinks in their armour, but rather that we should be open to seeing them in a fuller way, a way that will inevitably include both strengths and weaknesses, both joys and sorrows. Doing so will allow us to notice things we may have otherwise overlooked while being so self-centred and, as a result, to be there for them when they are in need. Appreciating a person in their fullness can also help us feel genuinely happy for their successes, a form of positive support called capitalisation that has been shown to promote relationship well-being.
Sometimes envy alerts us to things that we want in life that are potentially attainable if we're willing to make certain changes. For example, if you envy your productive colleague, you may find that you could be more productive yourself if you learnt to manage your time better. You may even be able to get a few tips from him or her - upward social comparison can be a source not only of motivation but also of useful information. In many situations, however, as the well-known saying goes, envy is simply counting the other fellow's blessings instead of your own. Counting our blessings is about refocusing on what is really important in life, and on the sometimes intangible and invisible things we do possess that are actually quite extraordinary - like a strong spirit, a diversity of life experiences, or just the simple fact of being alive. [D] Whereas envy drains our happiness and saps our energy, appreciation can reveal abundance in places where we failed to look.
What is the main purpose of paragraph 1?
The phrase "green glow in our eyes" in paragraph 1 refers to _____.
According to the author, the first step in overcoming envy is _____.
Why does the author say that reassurance such as "I'm better looking" does not work long term?
Because it often creates admiration instead of envy.
Because people rarely believe such claims.
Because it contradicts cultural values of modesty.
Because it only deepens insecurity and comparison.
In paragraph 3, making someone else the object of envy is described as _____.
The expression "chinks in their armour" in paragraph 3 mostly means _____.
What positive outcome of envy is suggested in paragraph 4?
According to the passage, appreciation of others' successes can _____.
What is the central contrast between envy and appreciation?
In which of the spaces marked [A], [B], [C], and [D] in the passage can the following sentence best fit?
"This recognition can feel uncomfortable at first, but it is the necessary beginning of self-awareness."
You are going to read a magazine article in which five sports experts share their views on esports.
Esports
Should esports be treated as an athletic endeavour? We've asked five sports experts to share their views on this increasingly popular pastime.
A. Expert 1
The rising popularity of esports has confounded industry experts who predicted it would be a passing fad. Ordinarily, such cynicism would be understandable. It is notoriously difficult to identify which trends will capture the public's imagination. Yet esports has enjoyed an ardent and engaged following right from the outset, arguably setting it apart from other trends that have emerged in recent years. Therefore, sponsors and broadcasters should have recognised esports' untapped potential far sooner. Instead, rather than mainstream media outlets raising the profile of esports and thereby broadening its appeal, they are now scrambling to capitalise on fans' thirst for esports coverage. The same goes for the corporate world, with companies now eager to be aligned with gaming tournaments. There's no reason why esports can't extend its reach even further in the future. Physical conditioning has both direct and indirect performance benefits in esports. Not only can it improve players' motor skills, but it also helps players develop the stamina to perform throughout their long, intense competitions. And just like professional athletes in many conventional sporting disciplines, sports psychology is now a routine part of the esports training regimen. How, then, does an esports professional differ from an Olympic athlete?
B. Expert 2
The prospect of gaming appearing at the Olympic Games would be highly contentious, and ultimately wouldn't serve esports well. Not only would it fail to inspire spectators expecting to watch exceptional athletic feats, it could potentially alienate the existing esports fan base if it were overshadowed by more famous sports. Professional gamers, no doubt, train incredibly hard and are of course gifted, but similar levels of dedication and technical skill are required for countless activities that wouldn't be classified as sports. If esports deserves a place at the Olympics, what about chess? An ever-changing roster of events has featured in the Olympic programme in recent years, but in the quest to broaden its remit, the Olympic movement must still adhere to the fundamentals of what actually constitutes sport.
C. Expert 3
There have always been people whose definition of sport encompasses only a very narrow range of traditional athletic pursuits. However, the case of gaming highlights how arbitrary the label 'athlete' can be. Quite apart from the hours of training, strategic coaching and mental concentration involved in reaching the elite level of competition, esports professionals are also expected to be in peak physical condition.
D. Expert 4
The popularity of esports doesn't necessarily mean that young people have swapped their running shoes for games consoles. Enjoyment of gaming doesn't preclude youngsters from taking up other sports, even if, in reality, gaming and traditional sports generally attract different audiences. In fact, in the case of children for whom team sports are unappealing, gaming can be an effective way for them to acquire the skills they would ordinarily learn through playing sport with their peers. Indeed, esports is a worthwhile pursuit for all children. Studies have shown that young people can derive as many social and intellectual benefits from esports as they can from other leisure activities, including team sports. If esports is opening up opportunities for more children to benefit from team activities, then that is to be applauded.
E. Expert 5
Anecdotal evidence suggests that mastering certain esports can actually help athletes enhance their abilities in areas such as fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination and response times. In fact, gaming has become a popular activity amongst professional athletes in a variety of sports. It's clear that gaming and traditional sports aren't mutually exclusive, but, even so, the recognition or promotion of esports by official sporting bodies remains problematic. Sports associations, especially those with a global audience, have to exercise extreme caution when endorsing esports. After all, many esports tournaments are based around games that appear to glorify violence. Of course, there are counter examples to this, but unless and until esports moves more in line with the wholesome image of professional sport, gaming will always be difficult to market as a mainstream proposition.
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
It is difficult to identify an aspect of mainstream sport that is missing from esports:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
People’s participation in esports has no bearing on their interest in other activities:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
Esports can be used as an additional activity to help people improve certain physical skills:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
Many of the skills that team games teach can also be developed via gaming:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
Fitness is a must for gamers involved at the highest level of esports:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
Audiences are unlikely to be impressed by esports events:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
There is substantial demand for broadcasters to pay attention to esports events:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
The gaming community may suffer if its tournaments are integrated into other sporting events.
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
There is scope for esports to increase in popularity:
Which expert makes the following statements? Select the expert from the list (A-E). The experts may be selected more than once.
The controversial content of some video games is detrimental to esports’ reputation:
Read the following passage on cars and use your own words to summarise it. Your summary should be between 120 and 150 words.
In much of the western world, people devote an extraordinary portion of their lives to travelling by car. It has been estimated that half of their time, three-quarters of their energy and almost all their emotions are consumed in the process of moving from place to place, often without using their legs and, arguably, without truly getting anywhere. Yet few pause to ask why. As one Los Angeles planning officer once remarked, "The pedestrian remains the largest single obstacle to free traffic movement." This attitude, which typified 20th-century urban planning, has gone a long way towards explaining why so many modern cities are dominated by the motor car. The result is an environment in which vehicles reign supreme. Cities are hemmed in by ring roads and flyovers, and suburbs sprawl endlessly, requiring residents to drive long distances for work or basic necessities. Pedestrians have almost vanished from the streets, and with them the culture of strolling, talking to neighbours, or children walking to school. Many people accept this reality despite knowing that cars deny them clean air, peace, and pleasant surroundings. The attraction lies partly in the independence a car seems to guarantee: control over company, temperature, music, and, most importantly, freedom from the inconvenience of others. In Britain, this has produced what some critics call the "cult of the lone driver." Despite the obvious inefficiencies of single-occupancy vehicles empty seats while congestion worsens sharing cars is not something the British habitually do. Many drivers argue, sometimes jokingly, that giving a colleague a regular lift would feel like surrendering the very flexibility that makes car travel attractive in the first place. Yet alternatives exist. In Los Angeles, a city often described as car-obsessed, drivers have been persuaded to try car-sharing. The key incentive has been priority lanes, open only to vehicles carrying more than one occupant, which move faster than the jam-packed regular lanes. So desirable are these privileges that, in the early days, entrepreneurial students even charged drivers a fee to ride with them. This suggests that, under the right conditions, attitudes towards shared transport can change, even in places where the car has long been regarded as untouchable.
Despite such examples, however, the car remains a deeply entrenched symbol of independence and convenience. For many people, giving it up is unthinkable, even when faced with mounting environmental and social costs.
Write an essay of at least 300 words on the topic below.
In many societies today, there is increasing discussion about the importance of mutual respect between men and women. Some argue that respect for women must be emphasised more strongly because of historic inequalities, while others believe that genuine equality can only be achieved when respect is shown equally by both sides.
Discuss both views and give your opinion. Give reasons for your answer and include relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.