ISS-21 &22 摘

21. " Reform is seldom brought about by people who are concerned with their own reputation and social standing. Those who are readily in earnest about reforming a government, an educational system, or any other institution must be willing to be viewed with disdain by the rest of the world."

Keys: Reform reputation and social standing disdain







22. "Many people believe that a few individuals or small groups ( family, friends, teachers, celebrities, for example) have caused them to think and behave in the way they do. Yet it is always society as a whole that defines us and our attitudes, not a few individuals."
Keys: fragmented information overall perspectives

A. Individuals and small groups around us with whom we have direct contact not only affect our character and attitude, but also broaden and develop our mind. Our parents, who bore and nurtured us, taught us our first lessons in understanding man and society; our teachers, who indoctrinated us with their profound knowledge, taught us scientific truth as well probity; our close friends encouraged us to persevere when we encountered defeat. From ignorant infants to independent adults, we are defined by the direct connections to our friends, our family and our authorities.

B. Society undeniably plays a leading role in defining us and our attitudes. Upon closer inspection, we will find that the influence of society and the influence of individuals and groups are neither isolated nor detached from one another.

The influence of family and friends is merely an indirect influence of society. It seems that our parents guide us directly, but our parents are actually the outcome of the nurturing of their own parents. Continuing on this line, we may reach the conclusion that one is actually influenced by numerous interconnected families, friends, teachers and celebrities across space and time. We are ultimately moulded by society.

C.The property of diversified communication methods makes it much easier for people to access information of the world. Internet breaks the geography limitations and brings everyone easily and quickly to new ideas and happenings, which further amplified the influence of the society or even the world as a whole on individuals.

D. We cannot deny that the society as a whole deeply affects us, neither can we ignore the influence exerted by individuals and small groups. Every human is an active node in the network of society, no part of which is truly isolated from the rest. Each node continuously influences the others' attitudes and behaviors, and likewise receives their influence, even when the two ends are entirely unknown to one other. Both individuals and small groups, as a part of one integrated society, define us and our attitudes.