Essay by 謝振禮老師 Jeenn Lee Hsieh

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真題還原

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? 'The best way to learn about a foreign country is to read newspapers and magazines.' Use specific reasons to support your answer and include any relevant examples from your knowledge or experience.

范文：

Now that printed circulations are dying, people are turning to television, radio and the Internet as the main sources of information about what is going on across the globe in general. In this way, people learn what they learn and think what they think about a foreign country in particular. So, the point is that, without the media, people might often be ignorant of news beyond the borders; and with the media, they might sometimes be misled to nowhere.

People like to be informed about what is happening everywhere. Even in their twilight years, newspapers and magazines seem to remain popular among those who prefer to read printed pages about life however far away, for example. Probably by so doing they could feel like listening to a nation talking to itself, and not like watching television talking to you. Trying to know things by reading between the lines could provide that kind of enjoyment which is unique among all media outlets. It means that at least to some people reading newspapers and magazines is the best way to learn about a foreign country. This view is especially true when it comes to being informed by such printed stuff as coming directly from that country.

On the other hand, it has often been said that journalism is not 100 percent reliable, and therefore it is not the best way to learn about a foreign country. Obviously, this perception applies to nearly all media forms. However, there are cases in which information about foreigners' lives is just like fiction. It seems that that real life could be one world and life as seen in newspapers and magazines could be another. For instance, the media about life in the United States or elsewhere may appear to be journalism populated by 'naked' women and cinema stars. As can be imagined, readers might get lost in determining whether life imitates fiction or fiction imitates life.

Paradoxically, reading newspapers and magazines may never fail to be a good way to learn about a foreign country. If people do not read newspapers and magazines, they are certainly uninformed; and if they do, they are likely to be misinformed. Unfortunately, these printed circulations might not live long enough to tell which is what at the end of the day.