Compositions (story)
Write a letter to your friend to tell her what happens during an
acupuncture treatment.
Dear Anna,
Thank you for your nice letter. You say that
you have a medical problem and want to know what will happen during an
acupuncture treatment. This is what often
happens. First, the acupuncturist examines you and asks you some questions
about your illness and work. Then, he decides where he should insert some
needles which are not usually inserted in the place where you feel pain. You
will feel a little pinch when each needle goes in. The needles stay in place
for 15 minutes and then he removes them. Finally, he tells you to come back in
a week. I advise you to go and hope you will get better.
Yours sincerely (115)
Have you ever needed medical treatment?
Last
year I felt a pain in my neck and took a lot of different medicines, but none
lessened the pain. Therefore, I decided to try acupuncture. Here is what
happened.
First, the acupuncturist examined me and asked
me some questions about my work and life. Then he decided where he should
insert 5 needles. He inserted them little by little, and I did not feel any
pain. Ten minutes later, he removed them and told me to come back in a week. I
kept going to him for three weeks, and he gave me some advice to follow.
Finally, I really got better. Up till now I have not felt any pain in my neck.
(116)
What would you do if you suddenly had 19.5 million dollars? 2005
People's
attitudes towards money are different. As for me, if I suddenly had 19.5
million dollars, I would do many things in my life. First I would look for some
needy people and help them to buy what they want. Then I'd help the sick who
cannot pay doctors for costly operations. Next, I'd give some money to those
who cannot get married, because they are poor. After that, I would buy my close
friends, my brothers and sisters what they need. Finally, I'd supply myself
with necessary things of life and deposit a sum of money in a bank for a rainy
day. (106)
A Bargain
Several years ago I bought an old stamp with a raised design and three
letters that can be read under a microscope or with a magnifier. I bought it
cheaply. Then, in my house, I examined it carefully and said: It is worth much
more than the price I paid. The next day I took the stamp to a history
teacher. He looked at it for a few minutes and stamped pieces of paper. Then he
told me: I think it was stolen from a museum. It is of historical value. You
can go to some antique dealers and they could tell you how much it is worth.
Frankly, I felt anxious and decided to take it to the National Museum in my
country, where some experts examined it and said that it was so valuable. And
they gave me 50, 000 SP as a reward. (146)
Something Unlucky
Almost
everyone is at least a little superstitious. As for me, I once believed my
grandmother, who gave me a small gemstone. My grandmother said: Mary, keep
this gemstone in your pocket because it will protect you from harm wherever you
go. I really did what she told me, and went camping with my friends. At the camp some bad things happened to me.
First, I cut my hand while we were putting up our tent. Then, during the night
strong winds began to attack the tents, so I could not sleep well and felt
afraid. Two days later, an insect stung me while I was sleeping in the tent.
Finally, I remembered the gemstone and said to
myself: It is the gemstone that has caused these bad things, so I threw it
away. But later I said to myself: It
was an unavoidable day which my fate decided, but not
the gemstone. (153)
Write about something lucky that brought you good luck.
Many
people are superstitious about numbers or other things. As for me, I once
believed my mother when she told me about her lucky ring. And one day she told
me,' If you want to win the lottery, you have to wear this lucky ring before
you choose a ticket.' Anyway, I did what she told me and I really won the
lottery. After that I said to myself," My mother's ring works wonders for
others." But later I discovered that I took that winning ticket by chance,
but it wasn't my mother's ring, which made me win. Now I often say that luck
usually plays an important part in life. (111)
Write about an unlucky day
Last
winter I had an unlucky day. Here is what happened. First I got up late, so I
quickly washed my face, got dressed, and went out. Then while I was going down
the stairs, I fell down but I did not hurt myself. Next, I tripped over a stone
as I was walking in the street. As a result, I broke my right arm. Fortunately,
one of my relatives saw me and phoned my father, who came and took me to
hospital. Two hours later, I came home with a bandaged arm and slept for two
hours. After that, a friend of mine phoned me up to tell me that my mark in the
English test was ten out of thirty. However, I smiled and I said to myself,
"It was an unavoidable day which my fate decided." (136)
A misunderstanding
Similar-sounding
words such as ice and eyes; file and feel; bomb and bum; get a plate and get up
late, can be especially confusing for people who speak English as a second language. Here is what happened
one day.
When a Korean woman who
lives in the United States arrived at work one morning, her boss asked
her," Did you get a plate?" His question surprised her, but she
answered," No...!" In fact, she didn't understand it and wondered
what he meant. Later when she was getting ready to leave her office, her boss
said, "Please be on time tomorrow. You were 15 minutes late this
morning." Now she understood that he asked her if she had got up late, but
not if she had got a plate. As a result she began to laugh in a high voice.
(136)
Write about a place which you have always wanted to visit.
I
have always wanted to visit Egypt. Fortunately, I have saved some money, and
intend to start my journey next summer. I think that I can stay there for a
week. In fact, I want to visit Egypt because it is famous for its pyramids and
other ancient ruins which have scientific, historical and artistic importance.
In general, Egypt is full of interesting sights which draw a large number of
tourists every year. In my opinion, the Nile is the greatest sight, which most
tourists enjoy seeing. It seems to me that travel is as important as study,
because it teaches us, like a teacher, new things about other people, places,
and customs. (113)
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