18. My View on Wealth

　　There is no consensus of opinions among people as to the view of wealth. Some people claim that wealth is the most powerful and important thing in life, while some other people believe that there are many things that can not be bought with wealth.

　　As far as I am concerned, I agree with the latter opinion. Just as an old saying goes "Money can cure hunger, but it can't cure sadness," which means wealth can buy us some material things but can not make us happy and free from sadness and worries. In fact, happiness, true love, friendship, time, health are the most valuable things in the world and can never be bought with money. Those who try every means to make money for nothing just can't realize the true meaning of life and become the slaves of wealth. We should not live for money and consider it to be everything.

　　For example, a millionaire who suffered from serious cancer was willing to buy his health at the expense of his whole fortune, but he failed and soon died in despair. This story tells us that money is far from omnipotence.

　　In conclusion, I believe that money is not all powerful and there are some more important things that make our life meaningful and worth living. What we should bear in mind is that, "Money is a good servant but a bad master."

　　19. My View on the Negative Effects of Films

　　Nowadays, people constantly find themselves exposed to various films. Films are indeed necessary to people. But some of the films really have negative effects on our life.

　　The negative effects of these films are obvious. Some films are misleading. For example, some contain violence. The children like to imitate what they see in the films. So they are more likely to commit a crime when they grow up. Some films bring spiritual contamination. For instance, vulgar scenes sometimes appear in the films. Thus people's daily life is affected by the negative films.

　　Therefore a strict law should be issued to keep the films under proper control. Under the guidance of this law, I think, films will play a better and better role in the future.

　　20. Advantages of Advertisement

　　Advertisement is an effective way for the producer to introduce his products and the customer to know about the products he intends to buy. It is advantageous to both the producer and the customer.

　　The producer, in an advertisement, usually offers detailed information about the products advertised, such as their good quality, their cheap price and their popularity. As a result, the products may sell well and the producer may benefit a lot.

　　For the customer, advertisements provide him a good chance to get necessary information about the products he needs. For example, he can know where to get what he is badly in need of, and he can choose some products to his liking. Without advertisements people might have to grope in the dark.

　　So we can safely say that advertisements are necessary and beneficial to both the producer and the customer. In fact, there are many things to be said for it. And I haven't said them all.

　　21. Should Smoking be Banned?

　　Should smoking be banned? Answers to this question very greatly.

　　Some people are in favor of the idea of smoking. They always insist that it can get rid of the tiredness and make them refreshed. And giving and being given cigarettes in their views is a sign of friendship. Therefore, they carry cigarettes with them wherever they go.

　　But other people consider it very harmful to people's health. They have heard the official reports that one person in the world dies from smoking every second. And doctors have been warning that smokers are more likely to have lung cancer and stand more chances of having heart attack. In addition, smoking pollutes the air and may cause fire accidents. Thus it has become a major threat to people's life and property.

　　There is some truth in both arguments, but human's life and property outweighs anything else. If smoking brings us illness and death, why not have it banned by the government? Without cigarettes, can't we come up with better ways to express our friendship and make us refreshed?

　　22. Is Television a Blessing or a Curse?

　　Now, it is generally accepted that television plays an important part in people's lives. But there is an ongoing heated discussion as to whether television is a blessing or a curse.

　　As is often pointed out by some people, television keeps one better informed about current events, allows one to follow the latest development in politics and science, and offers and endless series of programs which are both instructive and interesting. The most distant countries, the strangest customs and the most attractive scenes of nature are brought right into one's room.

　　However, other people insist that television is a curse rather than a blessing. They argue that it has brought about many serious problems. The major one is its effects on young people. They are now so used to getting their information, education and entertainment from television that their literacy as well as physical ability has been greatly weakened. Even worse than that, vulgar commercials and indecent programs may cultivate their bad tastes, distort their viewpoints towards human life to such a degree that their minds might be corrupted.

　　In summary, television has both advantages and disadvantages. Whatever effects it has, one thing is certain, television in itself is neither good nor bad. It is the use to which it is put that determines its value to society.

　　23. Getting to Know the World Outside the Campus

　　It is important for college students to get to know as much as possible about the world outside the campus. One reason is that knowledge without practical experience is just like trying to walk on one leg. Another reason is that maintaining contact with the world outside the campus helps the student become mature and responsible.

　　There are many ways in which a student can get to know about the outside world. First, the mass media can keep the student up to date on political, cultural and sporting events, as well as the latest development in science and technology. Second, voluntary social services, home tutoring and surveys of factories or farms all offer students wide opportunities to get to know how ordinary people live.

　　Personally, I intend to study hard to lay solid foundation for my future career. At the same time, I will take every opportunity to gain experience about the world beyond the campus by doing part-time jobs.