Many cities have problems with traffic congestion (traffic jams). What do you think a city should do to deal with traffic jams and why?
许多城市都有交通拥堵（拥堵）。你认为一个城市应该怎么处理交通堵塞？为什么？

This is an issue that has global ramifications. Here are some ways we can address this problem.

Firstly, there is a need to expand, to build more roads and bridges to accommodate the growing number of people and cars. There are now fifty times as many cars on the roads as there were in the 1970s. Broadening existing roads into multi-lane overpasses in both the city center and suburbs could help to relieve traffic-related stress in city centers.

In addition, we should redesign the transportation system. Rapid urbanization demands that we rethink and be innovative. Imagine a system in which real-time information is gathered to move buses, cars and trains with maximum efficiency. Smart tickets count commuters on the subway. Sensors embedded in roads enable live feeds of traffic conditions. This sophisticated monitoring system helps to keep road traffic flowing above ground.

笔记
1. Outline
怎样解决交通拥堵
R1: build more roads and bridges 建设更多道路
R2: redesign the transportation system to include technology 重新设计交通系统

2. Vocabulary
ramification 衍生后果 派生影响
overpass 天桥
commuters 通勤者
embed 嵌入
sophisticated 复杂的 精致的

Some high school students in your community are planning to initiate a program promoting environmental friendliness. What advice would you offer them and why?
你们社区的一些中学生正计划发起一个促进环境友好的项目。你会给他们什么建议？为什么？

Being environmentally friendly simply means adopting a lifestyle that is less detrimental to the environment. In a community, here are some of the specific measures the students should take.


First, they could work with local environmental groups to plant more trees. A shady landscape around homes can help reduce consumption of energy and keep homes cool even during summers.


Second, they could educate others about the importance of living an environmentally friendly life and choosing fuel efficient travel options. The students can advocate that if one's office is near home, they should try to ride a bicycle instead of a car. They don’t have to jump in by changing everything. They should start small to make the changes more sustainable and a part of their normal life.


References
http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15...

Planting trees is one of most sustainable ways to positively affect the environment.
First, excess carbon dioxide caused by many factors is a building up in our atmosphere and contributing to climate change. Trees absorb CO2, removing and storing the carbon while releasing the oxygen back into the air. In one year, an acre of mature trees absorbs the amount of CO2 produced when you drive your car 26,000 miles. In one year an acre of mature trees can provide enough oxygen for 18 people.
Second, whether as houses for children or creative and spiritual inspiration for adults, trees have provided the space for human retreat throughout the ages.
Furthermore , Tree plantings provide an opportunity for community involvement and empowerment that improves the quality of life in our neighborhoods. All cultures, ages, and genders have an important role to play at a tree planting or tree care event.
So, these are the reasons why I choose to plant trees.

Notes：

sustainable ways：可持续的方式，sustainable development是环境类话题常用短语
building up：这里指CO2是一种逐渐累积的温室气体
creative and spiritual inspiration：指绿色环境可以成为一个激发创造性和精神层次灵感的地方
community involvement and empowerment：意为集体参与感和群体意识的增强

References
https://www.treepeople.org/resources/tre...

What measure can you suggest to help improve the campus environment?
你建议采取什么措施来改善校园环境？

My college should strive to provide students, faculty and staff with a campus environment that allows them to do their best work. Here are some ways in which this can be achieved.

Some approaches to improving the campus environment include creating additional food service options, renovating the convenience store, erecting mailboxes for all students, building a package handling area and relocating several student group offices to the main building.

To be more specific, athletes would benefit from the university trying to augment its facilities by introducing improvements such as artificial turf and lighting to increase the utilization and efficiency of existing facilities.

Reducing waste from campus dining operations is another important way of improving the campus environment. Disposable bottled water should be entirely banned on campus in favor of reusable water bottles. The use of reusable containers to take food from a dining area should also be encouraged. Offering students a discount if they bring a reusable cup or container is another effective way of shrinking the campus’ carbon footprint.


Notes：
strive to：表示竭尽全力去做
approaches to：对于……的解决方法，可以用remedy for同义替换
augment its facilities：augment意为增加，这里指改善设施
artificial turf and lighting：人工草坪和灯光
utilization and efficiency：指设施的利用率和使用效率
Disposable/reusable bottled water：一次性/可重复使用的瓶装水

References
http://campusplan.princeton.edu/sites/ca...
http://www.southernfriedscience.com/?p

Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? Explain how you think you will have changed.
描述五年后你生活中的变化。

I sometimes wonder how my life will have changed after five years. It seems like such a distant time that I think everything will have changed a lot.


The most important change is that in five years’ time I will have almost certainly received my qualifications after studying abroad. Consequently, I hope to be running my own business by then. Furthermore, I will probably live in a luxury house which will be surrounded by a very lovely private garden with green grass, roses and a small botanic garden. I fear that I won't have enough time for my family and friends, but I will try my best to spare time for them at weekends.


In conclusion, I hope that my future life will be more comfortable.


References
http://www.essayforum.com/writing3/write...

As a planet, we are facing some extreme environmental challenges. Explain some of the most effective ways we can combat this.
既然我们面临严重的环境问题，请提出拯救地球的建议。

Our earth is facing many environmental problems, such as global warming and natural resource depletion. The former is the result of human practices which emit greenhouse gases. How can we, as individuals, combat this problem? When shopping for a new or used vehicle (or even renting a vehicle), choose the cleanest, most fuel-efficient vehicle that meets your needs. With a wide range of clean, fuel-efficient vehicles available today, it’s easier than ever to go green — for the environment, and for your wallet. Also, you can try to walk instead of using vehicles in everyday life.

As for natural resource depletion, we can buy and use less stuff. This is the best way to conserve natural resources. For example, it takes one ton of raw materials from the earth to make one laptop computer! We can also pay special attention to reducing the amount of non-renewable resources we use. By reducing our use of non-renewable oil and coal, levels of air pollution should decrease.

References
https://sfenvironment.org/k-12/resources/natural5.htm

“Redesigned street concepts could fix L.A. traffic.” Discuss.
重新设计的街道概念可以修复L.A.交通

Redesigned street concept could fix L.A. traffic

Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles, a notoriously car-centric city might be getting a new makeover soon.

Currently, there are ten vehicle lanes, including two lanes that buses share with vehicles. The new design includes trees, broadened sidewalks, protected bike lanes, a loading zone for ride-sharing vehicles, three narrowed lanes for vehicles and designated lanes for buses. The concept also rewards buses with exclusive travel lanes.

The idea is that the new landscaping creates more welcoming spaces, so people are comfortable walking and using public transportation instead of private automobiles. This could also encourage carpooling in order to cut down on congestion in the city center.

This answer may sound counterintuitive. What do you think?

笔记
1. Outline
R1: new design features reduced vehicle lanes and more landscaping
R2: the aim of this design is to encourage walking and the use of public transportation

2. Vocabulary
notoriously 众所周知地 声名狼藉地
car-centric 汽车中心 这里可以理解为以汽车而出名
ride-sharing 共乘的 拼车
carpooling 共乘制 合伙用车
counterintuitive 违反直觉的 ideas, proposals that are seemingly contrary to common sense

Air pollution has become a serious problem. What can you personally do to alleviate it?
空气污染已成为一个严重的问题。我们能做些什么来缓解这个问题呢？

First, because car emissions are the second largest contributor to air pollution, I’ll become less dependent on cars. Instead of driving to the grocery store every day, I’ll make one trip a week, stocking up on everything I need   all at once.


Second, I’ll use raw ingredients to make as many things as possible, instead of buying artificial food at the store. That's because the practice of mass-producing, packaging and shipping goods to make them readily available to consumers is directly responsible for industrial emissions that pollute the air.


Third, I won’t use my lights and appliances as often. Turning off the lights and TV when I leave the room is a       great way of reducing air pollution, since the electricity that they run on is generated by harmful coal or natural gas plants.


References
https://www.wikihow.com/Take-Action-to-Reduce-Air-Pollution

Do you believe that modern life is easier than it once was?
你是否同意或不同意和声明，生活比以前更容易吗？

I disagree with the assertion. In spite of improved working conditions, greater freedoms and the vast array of ways to splash cash, life for young people has never been tougher. Stress is a huge problem for today's twentysomethings. Today, 41 percent say they experience regular or constant stress. This is a stark comparison to the 15 percent who said the same 40 years ago.

Money worries, being overworked and concerns about body image are the most prevalent concerns for those in their twenties. This issue simply didn't chime with older respondents, who, in general, were far more content with their figure in their youth.

Today’s younger generation are looking ahead, investing in their health and saving. With all these things to worry about, it is no surprise that many are struggling emotionally.

我不同意，尽管工作条件的改善，自由和飞溅的现金方式浩大，年轻人的生活从来没有困难。 压力是今天的二十几岁的人，一个巨大的问题。有41%的人说他们的经验，定期或持续的压力，只有15%的人表示同40年前的一半说他们从来没有强调在所有。其次，资金紧张，劳累过度，他们的身体形象的关注是那些二十几岁的最普遍的问题，但不符合以上的受访者，一般的人，，与他们的青春身影更多内容。今天的年轻一代是展望未来，投资于他们的健康和节约。因此，他们越是需要关心，他们的生活就越困难。

What are the defining characteristics of a positive working environment?
你认为对于一个新的工作环境来说，什么是重要的？

We all know that, when looking for a job, assessing the work environment is a crucial step you shouldn’t skip. Here are some crucial things to look out for when considering joining a new company.

First, we need to find a company that encourages transparent and open communication. In essence, an open form of communication addresses the employee's need to feel what they have to say has value. It is what makes employees feel that they belong to the organization. Work then becomes meaningful because the employees know that what they contribute affects the organization they are affiliated with.

Second, in a time when change is more rampant than ever before, it is necessary for organizations to keep abreast with the changes and train their employees accordingly. Technology is evolving so rapidly that programs organizations commonly used ten years ago could be obsolete today.

Finally, there has to be some sort of balance between work and personal life. When employees fulfill their various needs and goals in life — such as those of family, friends, spiritual pursuits, self-growth, etc. — they then feel more confident about themselves and perform their best at work.

Apart from that, employees that are exposed to more experiences in life outside of work can use what they’ve gained and apply that to their work. This should also be encouraged in any positive working environment.

我们都知道，当你在找工作时，评估工作环境是你不应该跳过的关键步骤。首先，我们需要找到一家公司，鼓励透明和开放的沟通。从本质上讲，一种开放式的沟通方式解决了员工感觉他们所说的有价值的需要。是什么让员工觉得他们属于这个组织。然后，工作变得有意义，因为员工知道他们的贡献影响他们所属的组织。第二，在变化比以往更为猖獗的时候，组织必须跟上变化，并相应地培训员工。例如，技术的发展如此迅速，什么组织常用的十年前的今天可能已经过时。最后，必须有某种形式的工作和个人生活之间的平衡。当员工满足他们各种各样的需要和目标的生活，如家庭、朋友、精神追求、自我成长高效能，等等。他们可以对自己感到更自信和执行他们的最好的工作。除此之外，暴露在更多的经历在工作以外的生活的员工可以使用他们已经获得并应用到他们的工作。注：透明和开放的沟通：透明的，公开的沟通实质：本质上，大体上隶属于：有紧密关系的与时俱进：齐头并进obsole注：过时的

Notes：
transparent and open communication：透明的，公开的沟通
In essence：本质上，大体上
affiliated with：有紧密关系的
keep abreast with：齐头并进
obsolete：过时的