北京外国语大学《811英语能力测试（写作）》历年考研真题及详解合集

目录2011年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解2012年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解2013年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解2014年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解2015年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解

2011年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解I.Summarizetheview(s)inthefollowingpassage(around300words)andthenwriteacommentary(around500words)(70points)Iappreciatethearts,Ilovefilm,TV,musicandbookslikemostpeople,IenjoytheoccasionaltriptothetheatreorartgalleryandIaminaweoftheskilloftheworld’sgreatestathletes.AlthoughIhaveanappreciationfromtheseartsandgainenjoymentfromthemonthewholeIdetestwhattheyhavecollectivelybecome.It’slongsincegonebeyondprovidingentertainmentandhasevolvedintoabusinessthatwecallthe“entertainmentindustry”.Thefaceofthisindustryisamosaicofaestheticallypleasingmaskscoveringacollectivelyignorantmindcontrolledonlybyfinancialgainandtheultimatesocialstatusof“celebrity”.Inthewesternworlditnowseemsthatthestatusof“celebrity”hasbecameakintothatoftheGodstatus.Welooktothesepeoplewiththeirplasticfacesandhollowmindsthataremotivatedbygreedasrolemodels,atasktheyareneithersuitablefornorcapableof.Thisstatusoftheirsispromotedbyamediathathaslongsincegivenuponreportingrealnewsinfavourofreligiouslyfollowingthelivesofcelebrities.Themoremediaattentiontheygetthemoreattentionisdrawnawayfromtherealissuesthatweshouldreallybeconcerningourselveswith.Thisrolemodelresponsibilitythatsocietyhasplaceduponthecelebritystatushaseitherbeenignoredbythecelebritiesorabused.Celebritiesaretheworstpossiblerolemodelforanysociety,especiallytheyoungwholookuptothemwithsuchadmiration.Celebritiesglamorisesex,abusedrugs,degradewomen,promoteignoranceandultimatelyofallthepeopleinsociety,theyarenotfitforpurpose.Itappearsthatcelebritiesactivelysexualisethemselveslikehigh—endprostitutes,thisisintimatedbythoseinsocietywhoareinfatuatedwiththecultofcelebrity.Asaresultsocietyhasbecomeincreasinglyshallow,themeasureofmanisnolongerhismoralsbuthisappearance,andasaresultmoralityhaslostitsplaceinsocietyinfavourofcasualsex,andothermorallydeprivedactionsadvocatedbythecelebrity.

Thecelebrityculthasalsoonceagainreducedthestatusofwomeninsocietywhoareovertlyobjectifiedbybothsexesinthecelebrityworld.Whetheritbearapperboostingabouthissexualexploitswithhis“bitch”orafemalesingersellingheralbumsnotbyhervoicebutbyparadingherselfhalfnakedalloverTV,thishasbecomeinter-woundintooureverydaylifeanditisnowacceptedthatwomenareobjectsofsex.Itseemstheterm“‘n-word’”hasmadeitbackintosocietythistimethroughpopularmusic.Althoughitstillconjuresupimagesof1960’sAmericanracismandslaveryitistoleratedevenbythosewhoitshouldoffendmost.Narcoticsusehasbecomeanotherdecedentpastimeglorifiedbythecelebritieswhoexcusethemselvesthroughthebiasedandignorantpress.Thenwehavetheviolenceportrayedinmovies,musicandvideogamesinsuchawavthatitappearsalmostfashionabletoshootone’sfellowmanorbashhisheadinwithabat.ItsickensmetoknowthatFootballerscanearn￡90,000perweekandhavetherespectofthousandswhileafront.LinesoliderfightinginAfghanistanmightbeonlessthan￡20,000peryear,yetthelatterisdoingasignificantlymoreimportantjobthananyfootballereverwillbutnobodyknowshisnameorsacrifice.Ihavenoticedthisgetprogressivelyworseovertheyears,Ifailtoseewhyitisthatsocietyisfascinatedbyagroupofpeoplewhoaremotivatedbyselfishdesiresandgreed.ItonlyseemsappropriateonATStosuggestthatthismaybecausedbysometypeofmassbrainwashingorasymptomoftheNWO’splans,howeverIdonotthinkthisistrue.RatherIthinkthatitisjustasymptomofthenatureofmanwealwaysseemtowantmoreandareforthemostincapableofahumblestatus.Greediswhatisfuellingthisultimatelyevilandcorruptculturethatwehavedeveloped.Thecelebritieswanttogetrichbyflauntingtheirmediocretalentandbeautifulyetplasticfaces.Theirproducers,agents,directorsandjustabouteveryoneelseinthisentertainmentindustrywanttogetrichbyprostitutingthecelebrities.Theignorantmasseswhofollowthemseeksimilarrichesandsotheyimitatethecelebratesineverythingtheydoinattempttofindsimilarrichesbecausethey,likemostofmen,areinherentlygreedyandlazy.Becomingacelebritybygoingona12talentcompetitionisamucheasier

andlazierwaytoachieveriches,withouthavingtogothroughthechallengeofworkingthroughauniversitycourseorcareerladder.Thesepeoplewhoworshipthesecelebritiesasacollectiveomnipotentbeingarefundamentallygreedyandlazy.Celebritiesdomakesomecontributiontoasocietyinhelpingtoshameourculture,howeveritismyopinionthatdoctors,religiousleaders,troops,scientistsandsoonmakeamuchmoresignificantcontributiontoourcommunitiesandshouldthereforeberespectedandpaidinthesamewayascelebrities.Celebrityculturehascreatedasocietywheretheignorantandselfishareleadingandbreadingtheselfishandignorant...【答案】Summary:ThoughIappreciatetheartandartisticactivities,Idetestthe“entertainmentindustry”theyhavenowbecome,forthisindustryishypotheticalandproducestheso-called“celebrity”.Inthewesternworld,thestatusof“celebrity”hasbecomesimilartothatoftheGodstatusasrolemodelsandtheydon’tdeservesuchstatus.Thisisattributedtothemedia,whogiveupreportingtherealissues.Celebritiesaretheworstpossiblerolemodelforanysocietyfortheyignoreorabusetheirrolemodelresponsibilityandtheyarenotfitforpurpose.Celebritieshavealsohadbadinfluenceonthesocietyandthosewhoadmirethecelebritiesbecauseofthemorallydeprivedactionsadvocatedbythecelebrity.Thecelebrityculthasalsoonceagainreducedthestatusofwomeninsocietyandwomenbecomeobjectsofsexduetotheimagesoffemalecelebrityonthescreen.Popularmusichasbroughtbacktosocietythe‘n-word’whicharousestheracialdiscriminationandcelebritieshavemadepublicdrugabuseandviolencethroughmoviesorreportoftheirpersonallivesbythebiasedandignorantpress.Footballersappearingonthescreencanearnmuchmorethanthefrontlinesoldier,whosejobisofgreaterimportanceandatthecostoftheirlives.Thissituationgetsprogressivelyworseovertheyearsandgreediswhatisfuellingthisultimatelyevilandcorruptculture.Thecelebritiesaregreedy

andlazywhenseekingriches,whilethesepeoplewhoworshipthesecelebritiesareasgreedyandlazy.Celebrityculturehascreatedasocietywheretheignorantandselfishareleadingandbreadingtheselfishandignorant.Otherrespectfulprofession,whichhavecontributedmoretosocietyshouldbemuchmorerespectedandgetbetterpaid.Commentary:Celebrities,aspublicfigures,havegreatinfluenceonpeople’slives,thelivesofyoungpeopleinparticular.Andinthisworldwithincreasinglyexplosiveinformationandfreeaccesstoit,thesecelebritieswouldtakeaevengreaterroleinourlives,representingnotonlywhattheyshouldbeintheirworksonscreen,butalsotheirrealvaluesandideas.Thesecelebritiesorstarscanplaypositiveroleintheaudience’slives,onlywhentheyobservetheirprofessionalethicsandbehaveethicallyonscreen.Iftheydoso,theycannotonlybringtotheaudiencemeaningfulandinterestingworkstoenjoyandentertainwith,butalsoguidetheaudiencewithrightmoralstandardsandencouragetheaudiencetodowhattheyshoulddoratherthanwhattheywantto.Inthisprocess,allpersonnel,includingtheactororactress,director,screenwriter,producerandetc.intheentertainmentindustryareveryimportant.Theymustbehaveinaccordancewiththeirprofessionalethicsandproduceworkstoeducate,tomoveortoentertaintheaudience.Butcelebrities,ifinvolvedinnegativeorimmoralthings,willexertbadinfluenceonaudiences,especiallytheirfans,whoadmiresthemnotonlybecausewhotheyareincertainworks,butalsobecausewhotheyreallyare.Andsomeextremistfansmayevenjustifythewrongdeedsoftheiridols,whichisutterlydestructive.Andinmodernworld,itseemsthatscandalsorgossipsalwaysaccompanythecelebrities;thingslikedrugabuseandinvolvementinsexualscandalseemquitecommon.Fortunately,inChina,celebritiesarenotthathigh-profile,arrogantandprivileged.Theyhavetobehave,atleastinpublic,andstayawayfromimmoralthingsorscandals,forChineseaudiences,asarelativelyrationalgroup,woulddespisethoseimmoralonesandmakethemlosefaceoreven

fame.Inthisinformationageinparticular,wheneveryonehasaccesstoposteringpicturesorvideosandwiththerapidspreadingandexchangeofinformation,awrongdoingmaycostthecelebritylargeamountsoffansorpotentialfansandhismoralreputationaswellasthepublictrustonhim.Andthemediaisalsorelativelyharshonthecelebrities,whoareoftenwatchedbythemediaforanybignews.Andscandalsseemsalwayswinovergoodnews.SoinChina,celebritiesneedtobequitecarefulabouttheirpersonallife.Soingeneral,Chinesecelebrities,thoughnotcompletelyimmunefromscandals,arerelativelytrustworthy.Anyway,weshouldlookatthecelebritiesinareasonableway.Actually,theymayseembrilliantonscreen,butafterall,theyarejustasordinarypeopleasusbehindthescreen.Itisjustthattheychooseadifferentjobfromusatthecostoftheirprivacyandtakinganunevenwaytobecomefamousfromnobody.Andaslongastheybecomesomebody,theyhavetheirresponsibilitytoshoulderinthesociety.Soappreciatebutnotbeovercrazyaboutcelebritiesandthebestthingtodoistogrowwithyouridolandenjoyyourcolorfullife.II.Writeanessay(around1000words)ononeoftheissuesbelow,usingrelevantreasonsand/orexamplestosupportyourviews.Youressayshouldhavegoodstructure,clearmeaningandaccurateexpression,andshouldbewritteninyourownwords.(80points)Topic1：Cultureshouldbepriortoeconomy.Allthroughtheworld,onlyacountrywithstrongculturecanboastastrongeconomy.Topic2：Inaninformationagelikethis,theimportanceofteacher’srole,especiallytheroleofmoralguidance,isfadinginuniversity,becausestudentsareabletoandaremoreeasilyinfluencedbyinformationtheyreceivedfromvarioussources.【参考范文】

TheImportantRatherThanDominantRoleofCultureCulture,asthefundamentalbasisforanation,playsavitalroleinthedevelopmentofanation.Especiallyinthiscompetitiveworld,whenitisreferredtoasthesoftpowerandisattachedgreatimportancetobyallcountries.Butbynomeansshouldculturebeplacedpriortoeconomy.Andacountrywithstrongculturedoesn’tnecessarilyboastastrongeconomyorastrongnation.Onlywhenabalanceisachievedbetweenastrongculture,astrongeconomyandastrongsocialstructurecantheypromiseastrongnation.Cultureindeedmattersinmanyways.Someelementsofculture,likethatoflanguage,valuesideas,customsandetc.areessentialpartsinpeople’slives.Theycanprovideguidanceforpeople’sactionsanddirections.Theycanenlightenandeducatepeople.Theycaninfluencethethoughtsofpeople.Andlanguageisasignificanttoolfortheexchangesbetweenpeopleandforthecreationandrecordsofnewculturalelements.Besides,otherelements,likesocialmechanismandinstitutionarewhatguaranteetheorderofhumanlife.Socultureisfundamentaltootheractivitiesandcansupportthedevelopmentofeconomy,societyandotheraspectsofhumanlife.However,theprosperityofanationaswellasthatofthecultureisinseparablewiththeeconomicbasis.AfamousChinesesayinggoesthat“onlywhenpeoplearefedandsecuredintermsoffood,cantheylearnabouttheethicsandvirtues”.Elementsofculture,suchasethicalstandardsandlawcanonlyemergeandgetimplementedwhenpeoplepossessenoughfoodfortheirsurvival.Andwhenpeoplegetthesesupplied,theycanthenbeengagedinobservingethicalstandardsandlaws.Wouldtheyreallysticktomoralqualitiesandvirtueswhentheirsurvivalisthreatened?Maybetherearesomemoralists,butforthegeneralpublic,nothingmattersmorethansurvivalandbasiclivingnecessities.Theemergenceofastrongcultureisalwaysaccompaniedbyastrongeconomy.Forexample,inthepeaktimeofthefeudalsysteminancientChina,thatistheProsperityundertheReignofTaizonginTangDynasty,Chinaboastedastrongculture,withstablesocialorderandlowcriminalrate.AndconverginginChang’an,thethenCapital,werepeoplefromdifferent

ethnicgroupsandevenmerchantsfromsouthandcentralAsia.Allsurroundingcountrieswouldcometovisitandadmirethispowerfuldynasty.Andthisprosperityofculturecaninnowaybeachievedwithouttheflourishingeconomyatthattime.Aswasrecorded,duringthereignofTaizong,appropriatepolicieswereadoptedtorelievethetaxesonfarmers,soagriculturegetsdeveloped,whilefarmer’sincomeandlivingstandardsgetimproved.Besides,manyotherincentiveswereimplementedtofacilitatethecommercialdevelopmentduringthatperiod,regardlessofthelowstatusofmerchantsinotherfeudaldynasties.Besides,withanopenpolicy,Chang’analsoembracespeoplefromdifferentethnicgroupsandcountries,sothefamousSilkRoadandMarineSilkRoadwerefullymadeuseofduringthattime.TaketheQingDynastyasanotherexample.Asadynastybestowedwithbrilliantculturebyitspredecessors,ithadinheritedmanypreciousculturaltraditions.Andwithitsprosperouseconomyinitsfirstfewyears,itcouldstillmaintainitsstatusasastrongnation.However,withitseconomydeclining,people’slivesaswellasitsstatusdeclined,soitcouldnolongeroverlooktheworldinitscultureandpower.Whatapatheticfact!Soastrongcultureisnotenoughforastrongnation.Thedevelopmentofcultureandtheprosperityofanationcanneverbeisolatedfromanorderlyandreasonablesocialstructure.Onlywithafavorableenvironment,canculturegetnurturedanddeveloped,whiletheoverallstrengthofanationgetselevated.AnotherreasonfortheprosperityofTangDynastyisthesoundsocialorder,acleangovernmentaswellasthewell-structuredpoliticalsystemforofficials.Inthisway,policiesbythedynastycanbewellputintopracticeandthesocialordercanbemaintained;thatiswhytheeconomyandculturecanflourish.WhilethefailureofQingDynasty,causedinpartbythedecliningeconomy,couldalsobeattributedtothebackwardsocialstructure—especiallywhenitssocialsystemisfarworsethanthatofthewesternpowers—thechaoticsocialorderandthecorruptedofficials.Sothewholeatmospherecouldbecorruptedanddegraded,lettosaythecultureinfluencedbyit.Soaflourishingcountryalsorequiresasoundsocialstructureapartfromastrongculture.Allinall,asinglestrongculturecanneverpromiseastrongnationandtoachievethatgoal,wemuststrikeabalancebetweenculture,economicdevelopmentandsocialstructure.Focusonlyoneconomicdevelopment

whileignoringculturaldevelopmentandsocialstructurewillcostanationitslong-termdevelopmentandtheincentiveforitsdevelopment.Whereas,focussolelyontheadjustmentofsocialstructurewhileneglectingthedevelopmentofcultureandeconomywillbringthecountrytodecline,andevendestruction.Andwiththesingleattentionpaidonlytoculturaldevelopmentandculturalactivities,acountrycanneverrunfar.Sothereisnosuchaprioritybetweenthem,onlybybalancingtheirdevelopment,canacountrygainsustainableandsustaineddevelopment.ThatmayexplainwhyinChina’smodernizationdrive,Chinastickstothecoordinateddevelopmentofeconomic,social,culturalandecologicalcivilization.Andinrecentyears,thoughChinahasattachedgreatimportancetocultureaspartofthesoftpowerofacountryanddevotedtodevelopingthesoftpowertopromoteChina’simageintheinternationalworld,hardpower,suchaseconomic,militaryandtechnologicalpowerhaveneverbeenoverlooked.Sostaycoolintermsofthestatusofculture.Itisimportantandessential,butnotdominant.Let’sseekaroadbystrikingabalancebetweenculture,socialstructureandeconomicdevelopmentandaspireforastrongandpowerfulChinaintheworld.

2012年北京外国语大学811英语能力测试（写作）考研真题及详解招生专业：英语语言文学科目名称：英语能力测试（写作）(考试时间3小时，满分150分，全部写在答题纸上，答在试题页上无效)I.Summarizethemainpointsinthefollowingessay(inabout300words)andwriteacommentary(inabout500words)relatingtheissueunderdiscussiontoChinesereality.(70points)Americanstodayfeelvaguelyanduncomfortablydisconnected.Wetellpollstersthatwewishwelivedinamorecivil,moretrustworthy,morecollectivelycaringcommunity.Theevidencefromourinquiryshowsthatthislongingisnotsimplynostalgiaor“falseconsciousness.”Americansarerightthatthebondsofourcommunitieshavewithered,andwearerighttofearthatthistransformationhasveryrealcosts.Thechallengeforus,however,isnottogrieveoversocialchange,buttoguideit.Creating(orre-creating)socialcapitalisnosimpletask.Theebbingofcommunityoverthelastseveraldecadeshasbeensilentanddeceptive.Wenoticeitseffectsinthestrainedintersticesofourprivatelivesandinthedegradationofourpubliclife.Weakenedsocialcapitalismanifestinthethingsthathavevanishedalmostunnoticed—neighborhoodpartiesandget-togetherwithfriends,theunreflectivekindnessofstrangers,thesharedpursuitofthepublicgoodratherthanasolitaryquestforprivategoods.Namingthisproblemisanessentialfirststeptowardconfrontingit,justaslabeling“theenvironment”allowedAmericanstohearthesilentspringandnamingwhatBettyFriedancalled“theproblemthathasnoname”enabledwomentoarticulatewhatwaswrongwiththeirlives.Namingourproblem,however,isbutapreliminarytothetougherchallenge.Inaworldirrevocablychanged,aworldinwhichmostwomenareemployed,marketsglobal,individualsandfirmsmobile,entertainmentelectronic,technologyaccelerating,howcanweneverthelessreplenishourstocksofsocialcapital?Likemostsocialissues,thisonehastwofaces—one

institutionalandoneindividual.Weneedtocreatenewstructuresandpolicies(publicandprivate)tofacilitaterenewedcivicengagement.LeadersandactivistsineverysphereofAmericanlifemustseekinnovativewaystorespondtotheerodingeffectivenessofthecivicinstitutionsandpracticesthatweinherited.Atthesametimeweneedtofortifyourresolveasindividualstore-connect,forwemustovercomeafamiliarparadoxofcollectiveaction.EvenifIprivatelywouldpreferamorevibrantcommunity,Icannotaccomplishthatgoalonmyown—it’snotameeting,afterall,ifonlyIshowup,andit’snotaclubifI’mtheonlymember.ItistemptingtoretreattoprivatepleasuresthatIcanachieveonmyown.Butinsodoing,Imakeitevenharderforyoutosolveyourversionofthesameproblem.Actionsbyindividualsarenotsufficienttorestorecommunity,buttheyarenecessary.SoourchallengeistorestoreAmericancommunityforthetwenty-firstcenturythroughbothcollectiveandindividualinitiative.Irecognizetheimpossibilityofproclaiminganypanaceaforournation’sproblemsofcivicdisengagement.ButI’moptimisticthat,workingtogether,wecanonceagainbeascivicallycreativeasourProgressiveforefathers.Figuringoutindetailhowtorenewourstockofsocialcapitalisadauntingtask.Therearesixspheresthatdeservespecialattentionfromaspiringsocialcapitalists:youthandschools;theworkplace;urbanandmetropolitandesign;religion;artsandculture;andpoliticsandgovernment.Myfocusinthisessayisonyouthandschools.PhilosophersfromAristotleandRousseautoWilliamJamesandJohnDeweyhavebegundiscussionsofcivicswiththeeducationofyouth.Theyhaveponderedtheessentialvirtuesandskillsandknowledgeandhabitsofdemocraticcitizensandhowtoinstillthem.Tostartwith,goalscanbesettoincreaseparticipationanddeliberationinsubstantiveactivities—fromteamsportstochoirsandfromorganizedaltruismtograssrootssocialmovements.Themeanstoachievethesegoalsandthenewformsofconnectednessmightbedifferentfromthoseofthemid-twentiethcentury,butsome“old-fashioned”ideasarerelevant.Takecivicseducationlessonsforexample.Weknowthatknowledgeaboutpublicaffairsandpracticeineverydaycivic

skillsareprerequisitesforeffectiveparticipation.Soreformedandimprovedcivicseducationinschoolshouldbepartofourstrategy—notjust“howabillbecomesalaw,”but“HowcanIparticipateeffectivelyinthepubliclifeofmycommunity?”Imagine,forexample,theciviclessonsthatcouldbeimpartedbyateacherinahighschool,workingwithstudentstoeffectpublicchangethatherstudentsthinkisimportant,likegettinglightsforaneighborhoodbasketballcourt.Weknowotherstrategiesthatwillwork,too—meaningful,regularcommunityserviceprograms,well-designedservicelearningprogramsandintergenerationalmentoring,tonamejustafew.Interestingly,researchshowsthatvoluntaryprogramsseemtoworkaswellasmandatoryones.Volunteeringinone’syouthisamongthestrongestpredictorsofadultvolunteering.Researchesalsoshowthatsmallerschoolsencouragemoreactivestudentinvolvementandparticipation.Smallerschools,likesmallertowns,generatehigherexpectationsformutualreciprocityandcollectiveaction.Sodeconcentratingmega-schoolsorcreatingsmaller“schoolswithinschools”willalmostsurelyproducecivicdividends.Ofcourseoureffortstoincreasesocialparticipationamongyouthmustnotbelimitedtoschooling,parentsandtheoldergenerationshouldbeinvolved.Withthejointeffortsofinstitutionsandindividuals,betterplansandprogramsofacombinationofvaluesandfuncanbedesignedtoincreasecivicengagementoftheyouthandpreparethemforthenewcentury.【答案】Summary:ThebondsbetweenAmericancommunitieshaveweatheredandpeoplefeeldisconnected.Sotoimprovethesituation,thechallengeliesinguidingittowardsabetterdirection.Thedecliningofcommunityisasilentanddeceptiveprocess,whichcanbedemonstratedinthedisengagedprivateandpubliclife.Buttorealizeandnametheproblemisjustthefirstyetessentialstepforward.Andafterthat,wearefacedwithtoughchallengesinthisworldwithirrevocablechanges,torecreateoursocialcapitalandthisproblemhavetobedealtwithfrom

institutionalandindividualaspects.Andweneedtocreatenewstructuresandimprovetheeffectivenessofthecivicinstitutionsandpracticesandfortifytheresolveofindividualstore-connectforcollectiveactiontodealwiththeproblem.AndIamconfidentthatwiththecollectiveandindividualinitiative,wecanagainbecivicallyconnected.Torenewourstockofsocialcapital,aspiringsocialcapitalistsshouldpayattentiontosixspheres,andthispassageonlyfocusesonyouthandschools.Civicsisanimportanttopicofancientphilosophersfordiscussionanditiscloselyrelatedwiththeeducationofyouth.Sothefirststepistosetgoalstoincreaseparticipationanddeliberationinsubstantiveactivities.Reformedandimprovedcivicseducationisalsopartofourstrategyforeffectiveparticipationinthepubliclifeofthecommunity.Therearemanyotherstrategiesincludingvoluntaryprograms,thatwillalsoworkandsmallerschoolsarealsoausefulmethodforstudentinvolvementandparticipation.Parentsandtheoldergenerationcanbeinvolvedinoureffortsandwiththejointeffortsofinstitutionsandindividuals,wecanincreasecivicengagementoftheyouthandmakethembetterpreparedforthefuture.Commentary:China’sEstrangedCommunityInthisworldwithincreasinglymaterialprosperity,Chinaisnoexceptionfromtheerodingofthedisengagedcommunitiesandrelationshipsinitssociety.Thedetachedrelationshipsandthedegradedethicscanbefoundeverywhere:fromthedefamiliarizedrelationshipbetweenneighbourstotheignoredbeggarsontheway,fromthoseintentionallyengagedinfindingfaultwithdriversbyfallingbehindacartothosewhowouldneveroffertheirseatstotheeldersonabusorhelptheelderlyacrossthestreet.Itseemsthatpeople’svalueofethicshavedisappearedwiththeemergenceofeconomicboomingandbetterlivingstandards.Distrustpermeateseverywhere.However,asanationwithbrilliantcivilizationandexcellenttraditions,Chinaonceboastedasanationofvirtues

wherethesayingthat“Tohaveacloseneighbourisfarbetterthantohaveadistantrelative”waswell-knowntoeveryhousehold,andwherethevirtueofmutualhelpandrespectingtheelderlywaswelladvocated.Whatanironyitistotherealitynowadays.Thoughinsomeruralareas,thetraditionalethicalstandardsarestillobservedinsomeway.Buttheerosionspreadseverywherequietlyandprogressively.Andeventhosewhoinsistmaygetfrustratedandhurtatthedauntingrealitywherethesecertainethicalqualitiesarerefusedanddeemedsilly.Itseemsasifwhentheenvironmentispolluted,ourheartalsocatchesanillness.Whatcanthisbeattributedto?Ithinktherearetwoaspectswhichwemaythinkover:thesocietyandtheindividualsourselves.Firstall,inthiscompetitiveandambitioussociety,itseemsthatmaterialwealthhasbecometheprimarymeasureforsuccess.Peoplecan’thelpjudgingapersonbyhisdress,byhissalaryandbyhisappearanceotherthansomethinginside.Andinsuchsociety,materialwealthareindeedrequiredforahome,forafamilyandforeverythingheneededtobesafeandsecureinthischangeableworld.Wefeelandwearemadetofeelthatweneedtobewealthy,sohurry,oryoumaybeleftbehindbythiscoldworld.Itisnotstrangethatpeoplewillbecomeestrangedandcompetitiveinthissocietyandgettobesuspiciousaboutothers.Ofcourse,theindividualshavetheirownparttoblame.Wearenotpersistentenoughwithwhowewanttobeandourinnerethicalstandardsandwecan’tdefendourselvesfromthetemptationoftheoutsideworldandwegetlost.Andwebecomesuspiciousandcan’ttrulytrustthosebesideourselves.Andwethinkbadlyofother’skindness.Thoughthiskindofestrangementanddetachment