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34 普台文字館

英

語

寫 A Life of Great Discrepancies
作

高二辛 張育瑄

According to certain statistics, more than twenty percent of the world`s population lives in poverty
or falls into the category of being “poor”. They lack proper food, drinking water, clothing, shelter
and other daily necessities. I consider myself very fortunate having been born in a prosperous family with
comfortable means. We have everything we want, we eat healthy food, we wear warm clothing and we
can even afford luxurious things the poor cannot even dream about. It is easy to get used to this lifestyle.
Before we know it we start taking it all for granted, thinking it is the norm – for us and others as well -
forgetting the inconvenient statistics.

During my last summer vacation, my family and I went to China. We visited six different cities where
we went mostly to the downtown areas to do some shopping and to visit famous scenic spots. We stayed
in seven different hotels – all of them six star hotels without an exception. We ate the best delicacies
and enjoyed the best of the best in everything that money can buy. I did not think much of these things,
however. They were the norm. I took them for granted. It was daily life – business as usual.

My world view has changed completely when I went to the Philippines. I visited a small place called
Inalmasian – a poverty-stricken area. To take a nice shower or to find a decent restaurant was out of the
question there. Most of the locals were bony and sick – looking – or actually sick. I was deeply touched by
what I saw there and felt sorry for the people who have to live in such conditions. It was an eye-opener
for me. I thought life was pleasant and comfortable for everyone – I was wrong!

After returning home, I have stopped being picky with my food, tried to buy only things that I really
needed, and gave some possessions I had no use for any more to charity. I learned a lot as a result of
that trip. Most importantly I have learned to be grateful for what I have.

Travel is the Best Teacher

高三乙 陳子陸

Without question, travel is the best teacher. Thanks to the advance of modern technology, people
can get easy access to any information of almost anything. Travel magazines are all over the
bookshelves in the bookstore; bloggers share their own experiences through the Internet. For information
such as weather, landscape, or culture, we can learn it only with a click. As a consequence, people always
consider themselves a learned man. But as long as we take part, we will know that we are far beyond a
man of knowledge.

Before I went to USA, I thought football is nothing but a game of sports. But the more I get to know
football, the more I fall in love with it. Football was not only entertaining for watching, but also
fascinating while playing. The Super Bowl Night was amazing. Friends and I gathered in front of a TV
screen, excitedly eating and cheering. It was exhausting but fun. However, it was another story to be on
the field. I ran here and there, over and over to catch the football passed by quarterback. Ever since,
football left an unforgettable impression on my mind. I eventually knew why people were crazy about
football. All in all, without travel, we will never have a chance to understand the exciting words written
by the bloggers.