世新大學九十一學年度轉學考試試題

年級	系所別	考試科目
二	英語學系	英文作文

※ 考生請於答案卷內作答

1. English Composition 70% (Write a composition of about 300 words.)

Topic: Taking Exercise and Health

2. Summary Writing 30% (Summarize the following reading selection by using about 120 words.)

Alcoholism

Rose Falkenhagen

Everyone knows what alcohol is. Even young children know it is an adult beverage used frequently at the dinner table or at parties. But not everyone knows what alcoholism is. And many adults and young people who abuse alcohol are not even aware of the true significance of alcoholism. They do not know that it is an insidious, debilitating disease that adversely affects many areas of the body, destroys family ties, breaks up friendships, and wreaks havoc on society.

Alcoholism is one of the oldest diseases known to man. It is also one of the most complex. We don’t know what causes it. Is it a person’s genetic makeup? Is it the family’s lifestyle? Is it environment? Why is it that one person consumes a great deal of alcohol and never becomes alcoholic while another person drinks very little and is overcome by the disease? There are many factors to consider, but one fact is quite clear. A person who drinks alcohol frequently and in considerable quantities is certainly more likely to become habituated or addicted than a light drinker.

Alcoholism is also one of the most destructive diseases. Prolonged use can cause a variety of serious illnesses. It can irritate the stomach and cause gastritis or more serious ulcers. It can cause malnutrition because the appetite becomes depressed. It can also damage the cardiovascular system. Even cancer of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, and esophagus can be caused from heavy alcohol use, especially if the drinker also smokes. Excessive alcohol use can cause temporary or permanent psychotic conditions. Taken in combination with another drug, such as Phenobarbital (a barbiturate), it can be deadly. But cirrhosis of the liver, an irreversible degeneration of the liver cells, is the most destructive disease of all because without a liver, the human body simply ceases to function. The combination of all these can only add up to a significantly shortened life span for the heavy drinker. These are the effects of alcohol on the abuser.

But what about the parents, the spouse, the children, or even the unborn children of the abuser? The grief and anguish heaped upon these innocent victims can never be measured. The physical and mental abuse many families endure for years does irreparable damage. Battered spouses and children are not a pretty sight. But at least these external conditions can be identified and are treatable. Emotional scars are invisible and often incurable. The unborn fetus is yet another victim. It can be born with a number of birth defects, such as dtunted growth；malformation of facial features, extremities, and heart；and even mental retardation.

Society also pays a continuing price as it is a fact that half of the children of alcoholic families themselves become alcoholics. Society pays for it in the workplace, within the community, and on the highways. A drunk is unable to perform to capacity on the job, to be a good parent, or to be part of the community. But worst of all, the drunk behind the wheel or walking across the street is responsible for one-half of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. That’s about 12,000 deaths a year. Unfortunately, about 75% of these deaths include innocent victims.

Alcoholism will continue to be a major problem in our society. But as we learn more about the disease and are able to communicate about it more openly, perhaps alcoholics and their victims will seek help earlier. Many communities now have free counseling centers available to the public. More education about the dangers of alcoholism will help young people learn restraint. Because alcohol is here to stay and is a drug that must be treated with caution and respect, the fight against alcoholism must be continued.