Class Supplement (Adventure or stability?)

☆Writing Topic: There are some people who like adventure and new experiences. They are not afraid to take risks, and they enjoy change in their lives. Other people prefer stable and predictable lifestyles. They do not often change their habits, and they value safety. Compare these two approaches to life. Which approach do you prefer? Explain why.

This writing topic has three parts: hints, a direction, and a question.
♦Hints: “There are some people ….. Other people. …..”
→ Introduction of two types of approaches to life: adventurous or safety-oriented.
♦The direction: “Compare these two approaches to life.”
→ You are required to deal with both types and compare them.
♦The question: “Which approach do you prefer? Explain why.”
→ The question is about your “preference” not “objective judgment.” Therefore, you can be subjective as well as objective when you make your choice.
-- Make sure that your essay covers both the direction and the question.
-- In reality, the life of an individual can be a mixture of both approaches. You try to protect what you have already got while there are times you want change. Thus, you might well be tempted to write, “I cannot say which I prefer.” Technically, to not choose and to explain why you do not can be a way to answer a choice question although it is often more difficult than to choose one and explain why. In this case, however, the topic is more of a question about your way of life, your philosophy. Therefore, I think committing either would make your essay more interesting. Think of a critical decision like going overseas to further your study and experience or staying home and accepting a job that you liked a lot when you tried it as an intern. The choice you would make might help you answer this question.

☆Hints for points
♦Adventurous approach to life
Pros: a variety of experiences, life full of excitement and surprise,
introduce new things into society, make an unexpected discovery
Cons: full of danger and loss etc., “A rolling stone gathers no moss.”

♦Safety-oriented approach to life
Pros: less mistakes or embarrassment, can know one thing/person really well
accomplish a job that demands repetitive tasks such as research, art, etc.
Cons: miss opportunities, become old-fashioned, can be considered boring
It is actually dangerous not to change because the environment constantly changes.
　　 You cannot say that you are really living if you keep avoiding new things.
(= “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” - Neale Donald Walsch - )