2013“外研社杯”全国英语写作大赛“模拟赛场”活动推出后受到了许多同学和老师的喜爱，并建议活动能够持续举办。为了给更多热爱英语学习、踊跃报名参赛的同学们一显身手、体验参赛的机会，2014年，大赛组委会将“外研社杯”全国英语写作大赛“模拟赛场”活动推广到全年，现开展第一期。

“模拟赛场”采用大赛样题，模拟真实赛题难度。参加活动者可以在线投稿写作，体验真实的大赛难度，把握出题角度，考查写作水平。

活动结束后，参加活动者可登陆大赛官网（www.ewriting.org.cn）查询模拟赛成绩和排名。大赛组委会将评选出“写作大赛模拟赛场活动之星”，对其优秀作品予以展示与嘉奖。

2014“模拟赛场”第一期活动细则如下：

活动时间（第一期）：3月10日至4月20日

活动方式：参与者根据“模拟赛场”写作题目及要求在线投稿。

赛题说明：本期模拟比赛包含两项写作任务，

议论文写作：分值为10分，要求长度500词左右。

说明文写作：分值为10分，要求长度500词左右。

活动评分：本活动所有投稿作品将由大赛官方指定作文机评系统­——“冰果英语”智能作文评阅系统进行评阅。每周二参赛者用提交作文帐号登录，可查询上周及以前提交的作文成绩。

活动奖励：每期“模拟赛场”活动结束，将评选“写作大赛模拟赛场活动之星”，获得神秘礼品并在大赛官网展示其优秀作品。

“外研社杯”全国英语写作大赛“模拟赛场”

第二期竞赛题目

写作题一：议论文写作（Argumentative Writing）（10分）

Read the following two paragraphs which present contradicting views. Write a passage about the issue, clearly stating your opinion and explaining your reasons. You should write about 500 words.

       Social networking sites have many advantages. You can find long lost friends, make new friends, interact with them, and find out about various places and their culture whilst sitting at your desk. These sites also help you to spread information and to advertise at a minimum cost. Perhaps chief among the “pros” of social networking sites is the ability for “average” people to learn about others with whom they may share crucial information and develop business and personal friendships. In fact, these sites offer everything to facilitate your online social life.

       However, to many people, social networking sites bring more dangers and risks than advantages. The most glaring disadvantage is the risk of identity theft and fraud. The personal information of users can be used for illegal activities. Some dishonest people would pretend to be someone else and put false information on their online profiles. If you do not know a person face to face, it will be very difficult to know if you are being cheated. Also, there are increasingly cases of malicious (恶意的) actions in which false information, lies, personal details and even adapted photographs are spread on the Internet without permission and causing extreme embarrassment.

写作题二：说明文写作（Expository Writing）（10分）

Write a passage to explain the Chinese CCTV Spring Festival Gala (春节联欢晚会) to foreigners. You should write about 500 words.