On University Tuition System in China

Directions: It is reported that many universities in China have begun to charge students for tuition. Should university students in China pay their own tuition ? State two opposite opinions and illustrate¹ them in detail. Write an essay of about 200 words within 40 minutes.

自从学费制度实施以来，它已成为中国的热门话题。人们对此问题的看法各不相同。

有人认为，世界上没有一所大学不向学生收费。至于中国，她是发展中的国家，人口居世界首位。政府没有能力拨出足够的经费来支付教学设施和名目繁多的费用。 解决这个问题的方法之一，就是学生缴学费。这样筹集的钱可以用来改善办学的条件。

然而，另一些人则反对学费制度。他们争辩说，中国人民，尤其是贫困农村人民的生活水平与西方世界相比仍然很低。大学的学费制度肯定会增加工薪阶层的父母本来已经很沉重的负担。此外，学费可能成为发展中国高等教育的障碍，因为它使一些有才能的学生只是由于贫困而不能进大学。

注：实    施：put …into effect       播    出：allocate² vt.(=put aside)

教学设施：teaching facilities.     筹    集：raise vt.

办 学 校：run schools.          反    对：be opposed to +n. 或动名词

农村地区：rural areas            与…相比：compared with

沉重负担：a heavy burden        障    碍：obstacle

阻    碍：hinder…(from).        由    于：on account of

Tuition system has become one of the hottest topics in China since it was put into effect. Reports on this topic are published in a variety of newspapers and magazines. People differ greatly in their opinions on it.

Some people think that there is no university in the world which is open to students without tuition. As far as China is concerned, it is a developing country with the largest population in the world. The government is unable to allocate enough funds to pay for various teaching facilities and many different kinds of expenses. One of the ways to relieve the problem is for students to pay tuition. The money raised in this way can be used to improve the conditions for running schools.

Others, however, are opposed to the tuition system. They argue that the living standard of the Chinese people, especially of those in the poor rural areas, is still low, compared with that in the Western World. The university tuition will certainly add to the already heavy burden of the parents, who live on their salaries or wages. Moreover, tuition may become an obstacle to the development of China’s higher education. This is because it hinders some talented people from entering the university just on account of their poverty. (210 words)