Bicycle — an Important Means of Transport in China
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a composition on the topic: Bicycle — an Important Means of Transport in China. You should write at least 120 words and you should base your composition on the outline (given in Chinese) below:
1．为什么自行车在中国这样普及？
2．自行车和汽车的比较；
3．自行车在中国的前途。
Remember to write your composition neatly.
【范文】
Bicycle — an Important Means of Transport in China
Bicycles have become more and more popular in China. People ride bicycles to their work places, to schools, to shopping centers①, and so on. During rush hours②, you can often see a boiling sea of bicycles running in all directions. With the largest number of bicycle riders in the world, China is often referred to as ③ the kingdom of bicycles.
Compared with④ cars, bicycles have many advantages. Firstly, they are very handy and convenient. Although a bicycle runs much more slowly than a car, it can carry you to anywhere you like in town and does not need a large parking place. Secondly, it is not so expensive as a car, and therefore, every family can afford to buy and to repair it. Thirdly, the car causes air pollution but the bicycle does not. Besides, it does good to your health⑤ if you ride it regularly.
However, bicycles have also brought some problems. For example, they have made the streets very crowded and caused many accidents. For another, some riders park their bicycles here and there⑥, which leaves the city in a state of disorder. Nevertheless, as long as these problems are taken care of by the local authorities, bicycles will continue to be widely used in China.
【注释】
①shopping centers：购物中心
②rush hour：交通（人流）高峰期
③be referred to as：被当作…，被称作…
④compare with：与…相比
⑤do good to your health：对你的健康有利
⑥here and there：到处
【点评】
本文是一篇按汉语提纲展开的说明性议论文。
全文共分三段，围绕“中国的自行车问题”这个中心展开。
在第一段，作者根据提纲中的第一点提示阐明了在中国自行车非常普及这个客观现实。在第二段，作者根据提纲中的第二点提示，将自行车与汽车进行了一个比较全面的比较。在此部分，作者恰当地运用Firstly, Secondly, Thirdly, Besides等连接词语使文章层次分明，过渡平稳。在第三段，作者又根据提纲中第三点的提示，并采用例证法，论述了自行车带来的一些问题。在此部分，作者巧妙地运用For example, For another等连接词，也取得了较好的修辞效果。并适时运用Nevertheless将笔锋一转，表明了作者对自行车的前景的信心。
纵观全文，语言朴实精练，内容丰富，结构完整，实为一篇优秀的范文。
参考文献：英语作文高分必背丛书：大学英语四级写作/李华田主编，武汉大学出版社，2005
