综合写作：
MONARCH BUTTERFLY
The monarch is a popular, brilliantly colored North American butterfly that feeds on a plant called milkweed. Every year, millions of monarchs migrate from locations all over North America to a single area in Mexico where they spend the winter. The migration is a spectacular sight.
Recently, farmers in the United States started to use a new herbicide to eliminate milkweed from their fields, and there are concerns that this practice is causing a decline in monarch populations. Some conservationists want the government to ban (outlaw) the use of the herbicide. However, such a measure would be a mistake, for several （此处文字未显示完整）
government to ban (outlaw) the use of the herbicide.
However, such a measure would be a mistake, for several reasons.
First, it is not clear that the monarchs are actually experiencing a decline. During the spring and the summer months, monarchs inhabit many locations across North America. When biologists examine the local populations, the results are variable. While some of the local populations have been declining, populations in other areas have stayed constant or even increased.
Second, milkweed, the monarch’s host plant, does not grow only in farmers’ fields. Milkweed grows in various natural habitats as well. Even if farmers eliminate all the milkweed in their fields using the new herbicide, the butterflies can still feed on milkweed growing in the wild.
Third, because the monarch is so popular, people tend to react emotionally rather than rationally to any perceived threat to it. For example, in 1999 conservationists claimed that genetically modified corn produced pollen that killed monarchs. Scientists later established that, in fact, the butterflies were not harmed at all by genetically modified corn. However, before the proof was established, many nature lovers wanted to ban the corn and protect the butterfly. The proposed ban of the new herbicide is similarly irrational. It is based on people’s emotional attachment to the beautiful monarch, not on a scientifically proven threat.
学术写作：
Instructions
Your professor is teaching a class on sociology. Write a post responding to the professor’s question.
In your response you should do the following:
- Express and support your opinion.
- Make a contribution to the discussion in your own words.
An effective response will contain at least 100 words.
Dr. Diaz
While owning lots of consumer products is believed to increase the quality of life, these products can also impose responsibilities on those who own them. For example, electronic devices, appliances, and vehicles require constant attention and regular maintenance. Possessions also need to be stored and organized, taking up time and space. For these reasons, some people argue that having many possessions actually decrease the quality of life. Do you agree or disagree?
Claire
I think having too many things really does lower the quality of our lives. I know some families that constantly have to deal with clutter in their households. They’re always having to straighten up and reorganize their possessions—their clothes, books, and gadgets. The effort does seem to lower the quality of our lives.
Paul
I really think it depends on the individual. For example, some people own multiple electronic products—a smartwatch, a mobile phone, a tablet, a computer, and even a gaming system. These products do seem to improve their quality of life, though. Personally, I’d hate having to take care of them all or worry about them getting damaged or lost.
