1.  Argumentation – 广告类
Many people argue that nowadays consumers buy lots of goods they don’t actually need because they are influenced by advertisements. To what extent do you agree or disagree?
 
Although it is widely accepted that the prevalence of advertisements plays a positive role in stimulating consumers to go shopping, it is not true to consider advertisement as the chief culprit of the fact that consumers buy a host of things that they do not need. In fact, some social factors, such as peer influence and celebrity effect, contribute to this phenomenon. Therefore, I disagree with this statement.
It is undeniable that advertisements have exerted a considerable impact on triggering people to buy goods. Some advertisers may exaggerate the quality of products in an attempt to mislead customers, thereby promoting sales of products. Consequently, customers bear the brunt of these advertisements and purchase an array of useless goods. However, with the enforcement of relevant laws in the realm of protection of consumers’ rights, the advertisements are no longer the main cause to lead consumers to buy things that they do not need.
In fact, peer influence gives rise to this situation. With the improvement of living standards and the increase of disposal incomes, people tend to compare with their peers and flaunt their wealth, so that they can enjoy the sense of accomplishment and vanity. As a result, people are gradually addicted to buying goods, especially luxurious goods, for the purpose of gratifying their vanity. Obviously, those products serve no helpful function in satisfying their real needs.
In addition, some people, especially young teenagers, are significantly influenced by the celebrities that endorse the products. They tend to imitate their idols with a view to expressing their love and spiritual support for those stars. Accordingly, they may buy the products that their idols are in favour of. Hence, such purchasing behaviour is not actuated by the needs of those products
To conclude, advertisements have a certain influence on customer’s purchasing behaviour. Nevertheless, peer influence and celebrity effect are the major cause of people buying a vast number of goods that they do not actually need.
 
WORDS
prevalence ['prev(ə)l(ə)ns]   n. 流行；普遍；广泛
stimulating ['stɪmjʊleɪtɪŋ]   v. 刺激；激励；促进
consumers [kən'sju:məz]    n. [经][生态] 消费者，消耗者
advertisement [əd'vɜːtɪzm(ə)nt]   n. 广告，宣传
a host of    许多，一大群；众多，大量
celebrity [sɪ'lebrɪtɪ]   n. 名人；名声
influence ['ɪnflʊəns]    n. 影响；势力vt. 影响；改变
effect [ɪ'fekt]     n. 影响；效果；作用vt. 产生；达到目的
contribute to     有助于；捐献
phenomenon [fɪ'nɒmɪnən]   n. 现象；奇迹；杰出的人才
undeniable [ʌndɪ'naɪəb(ə)l]  adj. 不可否认的；公认优秀的；无可争辩的
exert [ɪg'zɜːt]  vt. 运用，发挥；施以影响
considerable [kən'sɪd(ə)rəb(ə)l]  adj. 相当大的；重要的，值得考虑的
impact ['ɪmpækt]  vi. 影响；撞击；
exaggerate [ɪg'zædʒəreɪt]  vt. 使扩大；使增大vi. 夸大；夸张
product ['prɒdʌkt]  n. 产品；结果
in an attempt to  力图,试图
thereby [ðeə'baɪ]  adv. 从而，因此
promoting  促进,晋升,促销
sales [seɪlz]  n. 销售（sale的复数）；销售额adj. 销售的，售货的；有关销售的
consequently ['kɒnsɪkw(ə)ntlɪ]  adv. 因此；结果；所以
bear the brunt of  首当其冲
purchase ['pɜ:tʃəs]  n. 购买 vt. 购买；赢得
array [ə'reɪ]  n. 数组，阵列；一系列vt. 排列
enforcement [en'fɔːsm(ə)nt]  n. 执行，实施；强制
protection [prə'tekʃ(ə)n]  n. 保护；防卫
in the realm of  在……领域里
relevant ['relɪv(ə)nt]  adj. 相关的；切题的；中肯的
gives rise to  引起,导致
standard ['stændəd]  n. 标准；水准
disposal [dɪ'spəʊz(ə)l]  n. 处理；支配；清理；安排
income ['ɪnkʌm]  n. 收入，收益；所得
tend to  趋向；注意
peer [pɪə]  n. 贵族；同等的人vi. 凝视，盯着看；窥视
flaunt [flɔːnt]  n. 炫耀；vt. 炫耀；飘扬
accomplishment [ə'kʌmplɪʃm(ə)nt]  n. 成就；完成
vanity [ˈvænəti]  n. 虚荣心；空虚
as a result  结果
gradually ['grædʒʊlɪ]  adv. 逐步地；渐渐地
addicted to  上瘾；沉迷于
luxurious [lʌg'ʒʊərɪəs]  adj. 奢侈的；丰富的；
especially [ɪ'speʃ(ə)lɪ]  adv. 特别；尤其；格外
for the purpose of  为了…目的
gratifying ['ɡrætɪfaɪɪŋ]  adj.令人满足的v. 使满意
vanity [ˈvænəti]  n. 虚荣心；空虚；浮华；无价值的东西
n addition  另外，此外
teenager ['tiːneɪdʒə]  n. 十几岁的青少年；十三岁到十九岁的少年
significantly [sɪg'nɪfɪk(ə)ntlɪ]  adv. 意味深长地；值得注目地
influenced   v. 影响（influence的过去分词）adj. 受影响的
endorse [ɪn'dɔːs]  vt. 背书；赞同；在背面签名
imitate ['ɪmɪteɪt]  vt. 模仿，仿效；仿造，仿制
idol ['aɪd(ə)l]  n. 偶像，崇拜物；幻象；谬论
with a view to  着眼于；考虑到；以…为目的
expressing   v. 表达；表达观点（express的ing形式）
spiritual ['spɪrɪtʃʊəl]   adj. 精神的，心灵的
in favour of   支持，赞成
behaviour [bɪ'heɪvjə]   n. 行为；习性；运行状况（=behavior）
purchasing    n. [贸易] 采购（purchase的ing形式）；购买
behaviour [bɪ'heɪvjə]   n. 行为；习性；运行状况（=behavior）
actuated    adj. 开动的；动作的v. 驱动；激励（actuate的过去分词形式）
behaviour [bɪ'heɪvjə]   n. 行为；习性；运行状况（=behavior）
nevertheless [nevəðə'les]   conj. 然而，不过adv. 然而，不过；虽然如此
major cause   主要原因
a vast number of   大量