4. Can man do much in the face of natural disasters?
盡管人類在自然災害面前總是顯得非常渺小，但隨著科學技術的發展，人類掌握了越來越多的預測與防控自然災害的知識，雖然人類是否能做自己命運的主人，不能概而言之，考生可以從不同的角度找出自己的答案。

Candidate 1: I think human beings can do much about natural disasters. We should prepare more things in advance so as to deal with the disaster better. For example, before the construction of a building, we should inform people of more knowledge about disaster. In this way, we can reduce the injures and deaths to the minimum. Despite the horrible disasters, we can forecast(預測，預報) them. If we develop more advanced technology, more efforts will certainly be required. As the old saying goes, where there is a will, there is a way. Noting is impossible.

Candidate 2: From ancient times to the present, mankind has suffered various disasters, natural or man-made. And it has proved that one can take control of his own destiny(命運). Although natural disasters are terrible, such as typhoon, earthquake, flood, drought, volcanic eruption and so on which can cause damage hard to estimate, we have thought of ways to combat(與……斗爭) them. For example, advanced technology has been developed and some natural calamities are regularly under control. Once we are aware of the potential danger, we should have the ability of self-preservation(自我保護) and calm down when confronted with trouble. We can conquer disasters. One's fate is in his own hands, so long as he recognizes he can't wipe out all difficulties ahead and he's ready to embrace(欣然接受) setbacks and tortures.

Candidate 3: Natural disasters are common occurrences, such as the drought, the mud-rock flow, the hurricane and the hail. Natural disasters are often powerful enough to cause widespread destruction. Facing the raging elements, man may seem helpless. However, there are a lot of things to do to reduce the dangers. For example, although the force of an earthquake is intimidating(嚇人的，驚恐的), we can construct quake-proof(抗震的) buildings, avoiding dangerous quake zones. To prevent flooding, we have built dykes(堤壩), dams and reservoirs(水庫) can also be used to fight a drought by allowing the irrigation(灌溉) of dry fields. As a last resort(采取的應急手段或對策), we can choose to evacuate a disaster-prone area(撤離易發災害地區). In fact, human beings have achieved remarkable success in overcoming the natural disasters.

Candidate 4: The history of Man's evolution(進化) is a history of human beings' struggling to conquer natural disasters. Although up to now we seem still helpless in face of some destructive natural disasters, human beings will have much experience in ouvercoming them and gain the upper hand(處于有利地位，占上風) in the future in the fight against them.

In a word, human beingd have achieved remarkable success in overcoming natural disasters. Above all, we have realized that human beings should handle the natural disasters on the basis of knowing more about nature and about the law of nature and not damaging our living environment.

各位答題者不約而同都對本題做出了不同程度地肯定回復，思路清楚，邏輯性強。Candidate 1開門見山，堅信只要人們做好充分的預防工作，定能將自然災害帶來的損失降至最小程度，處處體現著答題者的樂觀主義精神；Candidate 2指出從古至今，人類在同各種自然災害斗爭過程中已顯示出了不屈不撓的意志，從而掌握自己的命運。Candidate 3和Candidate 4首先說明在可怕的自然災害前面人們似乎顯得無助和渺小，但在和大自然抗衡的過程中人們已積累了相當的經驗，只要采取恰當的措施就能避免或減少地震、洪澇等災害的破壞。