43 AD

　　Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Games are as important for adults as they are for children. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

　　Everyone likes to play games. Games are important at any age to keep your mind sharp, learn new things, and maintain social skills.

　　People say you can’t teach old dog new tricks. Modern research has shown that senior citizens can continue to grow brain cells by exercising their mind. Games are a great way to exercise your mind. By concentrating on the tactics of the game, memorizing moves, keeping track of your opponents’ strategies, you can keep your brain functioning and growing.

　　Some games can teach you a lot. Games that ask questions, for example, will show you what you don’t know. (Name the capital of Albania, for example.) It is always easier to learn something when you realize you don’t know it.

　　When you play a game, you have to be considerate of your opponents. You can observe people’s reactions and the way they interact as they play. It is always interesting to watch people. Maintaining personal contacts is important for everyone.

　　Regardless of your age, playing games can help you keep your mind alert, learn new things, and build friendships.

　　44 EX

　　Awards and prizes are given for excellence in various fields. Do these awards and prizes serve a useful purpose? Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

　　A prize or award, whether it’s the Noble Prize, the Academy Award, or Best Handwriting Prize, is important. Such prizes can have economic, personal, and social effects that enrich the life of the recipient.

　　Prize like the Noble Prize can be a cash award. But ever for prizes that don’t, like the Academy Award, an actress who wins best actress will be offered more roles and a higher pay than actresses who don’t win the award. Even for the elementary student who received the school’s Best Handwriting award may get a congratulations gift from proud grandparents.

　　The personal benefits of receiving any award are evident. Any award winner is pleased that be or she has been recognized for his or her work. When people receive the Academy Award, they often cry they are so happy.

　　Everyone likes to be with a winner. A person who gets a prize often has many new, best friends. A winner’s social life is much better than a loser’s social life. The winner of the Best Handwriting prize may not be very popular with his or her jealous classmates, however.

　　Awards serve a very useful purpose in that their economic, personal, and social benefits add to the recognition.