第一套
综合写作
主题： Solar power intermittency 如何存储太阳能以避免太阳能的间歇性
阅读：
1. 用电池可以储存太阳能。
2. 把太阳能以热能形式存储，再用热能驱动涡轮发电。
3. 可以通过国际合作建立更大规模更灵活的电网。
听力：
1. 建立用电池储存太阳能的系统很麻烦很贵。
2. 存储热能的盐会破坏金属，影响涡轮的使用。
3. 这种项目需要几十年的不同政府和公司的合作，政治和工业的变化会影响电网建设。
学术讨论
学校是否要帮助学生融入全球社会？
Dr. Gupta
This week, we covered the future of education in a global world. We discussed whether schools should focus on equipping students with skills that will help them be successful anywhere in the world. These skills include being respectful of unfamiliar cultures and studying the history of those cultures. In your post, I would like you to discuss whether schools should make it a priority to prepare students for a global society. Please explain your opinion.
Claire
Students should focus primarily on learning values cherished by their own local cultures in order to not forget who they really are.
Kelly
We would expect that more people will be working in countries other than their own and would benefit from learning those global skills that would help them be successful in any country.
第二套
综合写作
主题：一种非本土植物Russian thistle的好处和坏处
阅读：
1. 农民饲养的动物可以吃这种植物。
2. 这种植物可以给动物提供栖息地和乘凉地。
3. 这种植物含有真菌而且不容易被吹走，有利于改善土壤条件。
听力：
1. 这种植物富含氮，对动物有毒，动物吃了很危险。
2. 这种植物容易引发大火，会破坏栖息地。
3. 这种植物吸水强，土壤会干掉，真菌会和土壤一起被吹走。
学术讨论
政府该不该提供免费的儿童保育？
Dr. Achebe
In some countries, governments provide free or low-cost childcare, using money collected from residents’ taxes. However, in some countries, parents must pay childcare costs on their own. In your view, should governments provide free or low-cost childcare, or should parents pay the full costs? Why?
Kelly
I don’t think that people with no children should have to pay taxes so that other people can get free childcare. We should not burden them with paying for something that doesn’t directly benefit them.
Paul
I think providing free or low-cost childcare benefits all of us. When parents can’t afford childcare, one of the parents has to stay home to care for the children instead of working. That’s a loss to both family incomes and the economy.
