Nowadays many people find their social network on the internet. Do you think it is a positive trend?
现在许多人在互联网上找到他们的社交网络。你认为这是一个积极的趋势？

Is Digital Connectedness Good or Bad for People?
Teens: This is how social media affects your brain
What Are the Benefits of Internet & Social Networking?


While networking on the internet provides instant access to different groups and individuals, allowing us to interact with each other regardless of geological location or timeframe of availability, it also has some significant drawbacks.


First, it's not always safe to network online.The interconnectivity of social networking sites is one of its biggest selling points, but it also comes with a serious drawback. If you're not careful, you can leave yourself open to stalkers, cyberbullying and other forms of harassment, as unwelcome individuals make contact with you through the site.


Second, networking online can be addictive. If you allow it, social networking sites can completely consume your life. New friends requesting to be added, post updates, polls, games and links to countless different websites can turn a pleasant diversion into a significant expenditure of time. If left unchecked, this can create problems as “real” relationships suffer for the sake of virtual ones.


笔记
1. Outline
先肯定networking好处：即时访问以及不受地域限制 后提到2个disadvantages
R1: unsafe 不安全
R2: addictive 可以上瘾并影响生活


2. Vocabulary
instant access：即时访问
regardless of geological location or timeframe：意为无论何时何地
interconnectivity 相互连结性
selling points：卖点
leave yourself open：敞开自己，表示对于……不设防
online scams：网络诈骗
flourish 繁荣 兴旺 活跃
addictive： 上瘾的
consume : 消耗 耗尽 这里指网络吞噬着生活
diversion 转移
expenditure 支出，花费 这里指浪费时间
for the sake of 为了；为了…的利益 这里指网上虚拟的情感会影响显示生活中真实的情感

Do you think replacing paper books with electronic ones is a good idea?
用电子图书代替图书馆的纸质书和杂志？

For many reasons, I am opposed to the idea.

First of all, books have physical beauty. Book covers first evolved as a marketing tool, as publishers strived to differentiate their books from the rest. For that reason, the best designed covers were often beautiful works of art. I do not mean to say that electronic books can't be beautiful, but never can they rival the tangible beauty of a physical copy.

Second, physical books often have sentimental value attached to them. Most books have been around for a very long time, and people can often develop an emotional bond with them. Books given by friends, for instance, can be precious gifts. In my opinion, books as physical objects matter to most of us, because they evoke the past. These are reasons why I will always choose paper books over an electronic alternative.

Talk about the advantages or disadvantages of working with a computer or other technological products.
用电脑及其他科技产品工作的优势或缺点

I don’t like to work with computers or other forms of technology. Working on a computer may sound like the most relaxing job in the world, but, in reality, it’s just the reverse. In fact, I believe this modern work practice to be unhealthy, both physically and mentally.


In terms of physical health, sitting for too long can cause back pain and negatively influence circulation, which can promote heart disease. Extensive use of the keyboard and mouse can lead to stiffness of the muscles in your hands, arms, and neck, as well as inflammation and injuries.


Mentally speaking, because computers are such efficient tools, we tend to spend all day on them. Because of this, users spend less face-to-face time with their colleagues, family, and friends. Computer-based work can be stressful and isolating, and can therefore lead to depression and anxiety. In other words, working on the computer is as unhealthy a job as you can imagine.


笔记
Outline
I don’t like working with computers and other technology 不喜欢和电脑工作
R1: physically unhealthy 身体上不健康
R2: mentally unhealthy 精神上不健康


Vocabulary
reverse 背面 相反
circulation 循环
promote 促进 提升
inflammation 炎症
isolating 孤立的 绝缘的
as you can imagine 正如你所想象的
work practice：工作模式
extensive use：过度使用
stiffness of the muscles：肌肉僵硬

With the development of technology, some people believe students will study on the internet in the future, while others believe that students should still study in buildings. Whom do you agree with and why?
随着科技的发展，一些人相信学生将来会在网上学习，而另一些人则认为学生仍然应该在建筑物里学习。你同意哪一个？为什么？

Teachers are sometimes concerned that online students aren’t learning enough. But research shows that online students perform just as well as traditional students.


In some ways, online learning is even more effective than traditional methods. Online courses give students the opportunity to plan their study time around the rest of their day, instead of the other way around. Students can thus study and work when they are at their peak energy, whether that’s early morning or late at night. Course material is always accessible online, so there’s no need to schedule special trips to a library either.


Moreover, online learning is more convenient. During snowstorms and thunderstorms, for example, colleges often cancel classes. If they don’t, students run the risk of injury in dangerous driving conditions. Rather than missing important classes, students in online courses can always “attend” by participating on discussion boards or in chat sessions, watching lectures or reading materials, and turning in their work on time.

Describe what your life would be like if you were banned from using your cell phone for a month.
描述一下，如果你被禁止使用手机一个月，你的生活会是怎样的？。

Cell phones have insinuated their way into our lives and are now integral.


In daily life, cell phones are superb scheduling and communication devices. Without them, we would be total wrecks. Apps like calendars, notes and alarms are respons-ible for re-mind-ing people of im-port-ant dates and events, or wak-ing them up in the morn-ing. FaceTime, email, and other social networking apps help us to stay connected with family and friends.


However, living without cell phones can also have some benefits. Phones overschedule and over regiment our lives, which robs us of opportunities. This near-universal access to cell phones, starting at ever younger ages, transfixes people in ways that can have negative effects on almost all aspects of life. Without them, we don’t feel compelled to check our phones every minute. We can once again simply live in and enjoy the moment.


Notes：

1. Outline
人们非常依赖手机，但手机既有好处又有坏处
R1: life would be a complete mess 没有手机的生活会一团乱
R2: interfere with our normal life 手机影响我们正常生活


2. Vocabulary
insinuated 使逐渐而巧妙地取得；使迂回地潜入
integral 完整的
total wrecks 这里指一团乱 废物一般 相当于 totally disrupted
overschedule 过度计划
regiment 严格地管制
transfixes 钉住 使麻木
compelled 迫使的

Some people think bookstores are going to vanish because of the prevalence of eBooks. Others, however, believe that printed books will never die. Give and explain your opinions.
有些人认为书店会因为电子书的普及而消失。然而，另一些人则认为印刷书籍永远不会消亡。给出并说明你的观点。

The race is getting tighter now, but I believe printed books are here to stay.


The tangible nature of printed books makes the reading of them a unique and timeless experience. What could be better than thumbing through a well-read and well-loved paper book? There’s nothing simpler and purer than sitting down to read a book with our own eyes, running our finger across each page.


Moreover, books are collectible and can be shared. You probably won’t pass your eBooks down to your children. But they’ll inherit your bookcase and all the volumes it held. Printed books are heavier, pricier, and less convenient, but they’ve got the ability to go beyond their original owner. Since ideas are meant to be shared, books should thus be sharable.



Notes：


1. Outline
纸质的书不会消失
R1：reading paper books is an experience 读纸质的书是一种美好的体验
R2：paper books can be collected and shared 纸质的书可以收藏和便于分享想法及笔记


2. Vocabulary
here to stay：习惯用法，表示留在这里
thumbing through 翻查，浏览
unique, timeless experience：独特的，不随时间消逝的体验
collectible 可收集的 珍藏的
pass down：意为传承，可以接实物，也可以是wisdom这类抽象名词

Do you like to use email or the telephone when communicating with your friends and family members?
你喜欢用电子邮件与你的朋友和家人交流吗？或者你更喜欢用电话？

Emails have many advantages over the telephone.


First, email allows me to prioritize issues, questions and “to-dos.” Emails fit around your schedule rather than vice versa. If I’m busy and my mother emails me, for instance, I can flag it and get back to it when I have time.


Emails also keep track of themselves. Emails are a historical record of what happened and who said what. I have no “Previous Phone Calls” folder. But I can save an email message to figure out what was the last interaction I had with so and so.


Finally, email addresses are easier to remember. Phone numbers are an arbitrary collection of digits, but email addresses are usually some variation of “person@company.” I can remember hundreds of email addresses off the top of my head, but perhaps only two or three dozen phone numbers.



Notes：
1. Outline
邮件沟通有更多好处
R1: allow people to prioritize their tasks 可以让人把事情工作学习等按优先顺序排好
R2: easier to keep track of records 使记录记载变得更容易
R3: easier to remember 电子邮件地址更好记


2. Vocabulary
flag it：flag这里指标记的意思
keeps track of：记录
arbitrary collection：任意的组合
“to-dos” & so and so：要做的事情&某某人

Introduce a popular website and give reasons for its popularity.
介绍一个受欢迎的网站并给出原因。

Taobao is a Chinese version of eBay that is operated by the Alibaba Group. It is popular for many reasons.


Firstly, Taobao is very convenient and economical. My experiences with the site have been wholly positive. I am a college student, and my school is far away from downtown. Before Taobao, I had to take a one-and-a-half-hour subway to go shopping in the city malls. This was an incredibly tiresome experience. Now I can find similar or even identical clothes on Taobao for a lower price.


In addition, shopping on Taobao is very safe. This is because the site ensures account privacy. When I make a decision, the money is paid through the secure Alipay platform. If I receive a package in an unsatisfactory condition, I am able to return it to the seller and get all my money back.


References
https://kinabravenewworld.wordpress.com/...

Do you think that technology has made people's lives a lot easier than before?
你是否同意这样一种说法：科技使人们的生活比以前容易多了？

Technology is fascinating and has totally made our life easier than before.


One improvement is that technology makes communication seamless. The most important documents and communications are digitally sent across the world and are delivered within seconds at the desired destination. No more waiting around for the mailman.


Second, with the application of technology, cashless wallets have been made possible. Credit cards and electronic wallets give you the ability to have as much money as you desire anywhere and anytime. They are more convenient and user-friendly than preceding methods.
.


References
http://topyaps.com/top-10-ways-technolog...

Some people like to broadcast their thoughts through publications like newspapers and blogs. Others prefer to only share them with friends. Which do you prefer?
有些人喜欢通过报纸和博客等出版物分享自己的想法，而有些人更喜欢与朋友分享。你更喜欢哪一个？

For many reasons, I prefer to blog rather than just sharing my thoughts with friends.


First, blogging is a community-based endeavor, and networking is one reason people engage in it. As a platform for people to voice their ideas, blogging gives me the opportunity to connect with like-minded individuals.


Second, blogs are actually online journals. When I blog, my thoughts and ideas are documented in sequence. I can look back and reflect upon how my ideas and opinions evolve over time. Learning from the past is critically important in understanding how to improve the future, and blogs open a portal into my own past.


Third, an insightful blog can be a better self-sales pitch than a resume. Blogging regularly about my major or opinions on public issues will naturally expand the range of my knowledge. By showcasing this on large platforms, I can grow my exposure, and opportunities might just show up.


笔记
Outline
prefer to blog rather than just sharing with friends 更喜欢博客而不是仅仅和朋友分享我的想法
R1: community-based, great for networking 对于社交认识人特别好
R2: better sales-pitch and can expand exposure 可以增长曝光率


Vocabulary
endeavor 努力
engage 参加 从事
like-minded 志趣相投的；具有相似意向或目的的
journal 日报 杂志 期刊
sequence 序列；顺序
portal 大门 入口
self-sales pitch 自销推荐
resume 简历 履历
showcasing 展示
exposure 暴露 曝光

Do you agree with the following statement? Cell phones improve our lives.
你同意或不同意以下说法吗？手机改善了我们的生活。

Yes. The cell phone was invented to benefit us. It helps us communicate, socialize and make business transactions. It can obviously save us time. A recent report suggested that 33% of cell phone owners believe that their phones save them time because they can always access the information they need.


Moreover, cell phones connect us to the wider world. Thanks to the internet and a variety of applications, we can easily be brought up to date with current affairs or communicate with our friends in different countries.


Finally, economically speaking, the invention of the cell phone has created more jobs. The cell phone industry is growing rapidly and is becoming increasingly beneficial to economic development.

When conducting research, some students get their information mainly from the Internet. Others prefer to predominately use printed materials such as books and academic journals. Which do you prefer and why?
当为一个研究项目寻找信息时。有些学生喜欢从网上获取他们的信息。其他人则倾向于主要使用印刷材料，如书籍和学术期刊。你喜欢哪一个？为什么？

I tend to get most of my information from printed materials. Here’s why.


In most cases, paper books are more navigable than their virtual counterparts. A reader can focus on a single page of a paper book without losing sight of the whole text. The tangibility of paper books creates a certain rhythm and a visible record of how far one has traveled. All these features not only make text in a paper book easily navigable, they also make it easier to form a coherent mental map of the text. In contrast, most screens interfere with the intuitive navigation of a text and inhibit people from mapping the journey in their minds. The implicit feel of where you are in a physical book is more important than we realize.

Talk about an object, tool or a piece of equipment that you depend on in your daily life. Explain how it makes your life easier.
谈论你日常生活中依赖的物体、工具或设备。解释它如何让你的生活更容易。

We have become too dependent on computers for answers and personal interactions; we spend way too much time on them. People too often use this great tool as an easy way to get out of face-to-face interactions with other people. We use computers for playing games, downloading apps and using Facebook. In our modern-day world, computers are absolutely essential and all around us — at work, at schools, etc. It is impossible to run away from these devices and we've become so dependent on them that we just can't do things on our own anymore. For example, say you’re doing some homework and you can’t figure out the answer. Instead of trying to understand the problem or asking a peer for help, you go onto Google and find the answer. Computers certainly make our lives easier, but the question is whether this is a good thing.

Do you tend to buy newly released e-products as soon as possible, or do you prefer wait?
你更喜欢尽快购买新发行的电子产品还是等一阵再决定是否要买？

I prefer to buy newly released e-products as soon as possible.

Firstly, this is because earliness comes with bragging rights. Being in the know and having strong opinions on the latest and greatest in the market is considered a badge of honor.

Secondly, you become thought of as a pioneer. Being open to trialing the newest technology means you have a closer degree of contact with companies because they value your knowledge, feedback and candid solutions. You also have unprecedented power to influence other consumers, be it the early majority, late majority and laggards.

笔记
Outline
尽早买新的电子产品 purchase new e-products asap
R1: can brag to others 可以向别人吹嘘
R2: considered as a pioneer 被认为是科技产品的先驱

Vocabulary
brag 吹牛 吹嘘
badge 徽章
trial 试验
unprecedented 空前的 无前例的
laggard 落后的 迟钝的 迟缓的

Should cell phone usage be banned in some places?
在某些地方应该禁止使用手机吗？

Cell phones, the most common electronic devices in our daily lives, can be all-consuming and distracting. Banning cell phones in public places is an effective way to reduce this phenomenon.


Cell phones should be banned while driving. An English study found that talking on a phone while driving quadrupled the risk of an accident, making it nearly equal to the dangers of drunk driving.


But cell phone prohibition shouldn’t be limited to vehicles. The banning of the devices should also extend to public places. Many people go to places such as libraries specifically to focus and do work. People who use their “cell yell” in such a setting distract others. Some cell phone chatter remains inappropriate for anyone to overhear, especially young children. These are the reasons why I support the idea that cell phones should be banned in some places.

On balance, have computers improved or damaged our lives?
计算机改善了我们的生活，而另一些人认为电脑造成了问题。

In my opinion, computers have improved our lives in ways that we can scarcely imagine. I have listed a couple of the benefits below.


First, computers make it a lot easier for many people to do their work. Thanks to computers, you can be overseas and still work via the Internet.


Second, computers give us access to a whole world of knowledge and information. Via the Internet, computers provide us with news, media and knowledge, no matter where we go or what we do. They give us access to more tools for faster communication, more knowledge for smarter decisions and more people for a greater social network.

How has widespread access to the Internet changed people’s lives?
全球互联网的可用性如何改变了人们的生活？

We may sometimes forget what it was like to live in a pre-Internet age. Our lives have changed dramatically since the dawn of the Internet. Here’s how.


First, the Internet liberates us to connect with people from all corners of the globe with ease. Social networks like Facebook and Twitter allow us to connect with people who, in a pre-Internet age, we might not have even known about. Facebook acts as a middle man, facilitating conversation with new friends and solidifying existing relationships.


What’s more, the way we consume information has changed drastically too, as news and information can be accessed instantly from anywhere in the world. This not only means that we can get information quicker, but also that traditional information sources like newspapers have been forced to adapt to a new role, adding context rather than news.


Moreover, media piracy and social networking sites have changed our legal systems, making so-called super injunctions almost pointless and intellectual property laws seem equally toothless.


References
http://newsok.com/10-ways-the-internet-h...
http://technology.blurtit.com/802/how-h...