2010年10月英语写作自考试题

全国2010年10月自考
英语写作试题
课程代码：00603

I. Supply the missing paragraph (20 points)
The following passage is incomplete with one body paragraph missing. Study the passage carefully and write the missing paragraph in about 100 words. Make sure that your tone and diction are in unity with the passage provided.
Benefits of Face-to-Face Communication
      Face-to-face communication is the first basic communication method. In the era of information technology, people are now faced with a myriad of communication options. Be it letters, emails, or telephone conversations, none is more effective than face-to-face interaction, because it helps the speaker to convey a complete message, obtain immediate feedback, and build trusting relationship.
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    In addition, face-to-face communication provides immediate feedback. If the message is ambiguous, the speaker can clarify it right away. The listener can raise questions if he feels confused. Hence, the speaker can detect and prevent possible misunderstandings or confusion among the listeners. Since all the people involved in the interactive process can easily see each other, their approval, interest, or disregard can easily be deduced and dealt with. Renowned CEOs, like Bill Gates, attach much importance to face-to-face communication and highly appreciate the timely responses of the staff at business meetings.
     Lastly, face-to-face communication enhances the relationship between people. It’s difficult to build rapport only over emails or through phone calls. It seems that people tend to depend less and less on face-to-face talks to express their gratitude and appreciation, but this form of contact is extremely important for establishing trusting relationship. As an office worker, what would you feel when your colleagues come up to your desk and congratulate you on the great report you sent or the presentation you made recently? If a team leader calls his team members to the office just to say “thanks” and pat their backs, the team will be sure to take a liking to him immediately.
     Even in the modern world full of electronic communication devices, face-to-face communication remains the most powerful human interaction. Without face-to-face communication, information recipients have to interpret an incomplete message, because much of the information gained in communication is derived from non-verbal cues. They have no chance to question the speaker or clarify the information. Moreover, they are unlikely to feel warmth from or build trust on the message deliverer. Therefore, face-to-face interaction cannot be replaced by other forms of communication.

II. Write an outline (20 points)
Read the following passage carefully and compose a “topic outline” for it.
How to Lose Gracefully
    Losing is a necessary part of life. Nobody likes to lose, yet in every even remotely competitive situation, someone will. Perhaps it’s the next promotion at work, or the selection of a student union leader. Even small things, like playing a card game, have an air of winning and losing to them. However, it’s what you do with that failure that makes all the difference. Assuming one is the "loser," all of these situations present a choice. One can either be a sore loser or a graceful loser.
    Losing gracefully is the first step to move forward and overcome the loss. In fact, graceful losers are hardly impacted by the loss at all, because they know another opportunity awaits them. They congratulate their opponent, embrace their failure and try to figure out where they went wrong. Graceful losers do not take failure personally, but they do accept responsibility. They learn from the loss, and then apply what they’ve learned so that next time they may win.
    Sore losers are quite the opposite. Perhaps the biggest risk of being a sore loser is this loss of hope for the future. Sore losers are stuck on the loss, and in so being, they may miss out on a new opportunity because of their poor attitude. Sore losers get angry. They blame their loss on the opponent, not taking responsibility for their own actions. Sore losers hold on to resentment, and may internalize their failure, leading to low self-esteem or even depression.
    Of course, making lemonade out of life’s lemons is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright hard. But it is a principle worth living by. How can you lose gracefully, even when you really, really wanted to win? Essentially, you need to realize that you never really lose.
     In fact, once you learn how to release the feelings about losing—the anger, the embarrassment, and the resentment—you will always feel successful. And then an amazing thing will happen. When you FEEL successful, you will ACT successful, and then, sure enough, you will BE successful. As you let go of the feelings that cause the sensation of loss, you discover that you never really lose anything.
    The objects in your life are always changing, but what you are at your core is changeless. The more you release on the fears and negativity about winning and losing, the easier it will be to accept things that do happen. When you lose or win, you’ll then be able to do so gracefully.
    By releasing your negative feelings, you allow the comings and goings of your life to simply happen as they do. This gives great relief and also allows you to be present with and for the new opportunities that are here every moment.
     Everyone has failed at some point in his or her life. This is nothing exceptional. Even in adverse situations, one should keep in mind the principle of losing gracefully. A graceful loser will turn into a potential winner while a sore loser a bigger failure.
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III. Compose an essay (60 points)
Some people think good movies should be instructive and entertaining at the same time. What is your opinion? Write a 300-word expository essay stating your views.

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