Question: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? Students should spend at least one  

year working or traveling before they go to the university.  

sample answer：  

It is quite common these days for young people in many countries to have a break from studying after  

graduating from high school. This trend is not restricted to rich students who have the money to travel,  

but is also evident among poorer students who choose to work and become economically independent  

for a period of time. In my opinion, exposing oneself to some experience in independent living will  

benefit students in many ways and therefore should be encouraged.  

In the first place, students will be less hesitant in deciding what to major in as a university student after  

a period of work or travel in the real world. If they have worked one or two years, students may get to  

know what kind of knowledge or skills they need in order to have a decent job in the competitive  

society. Thus they know what they need to learn before entering university.  

In the second place, some hands-on experience will help them better understand the courses offered in  

university. For example, a student of business administration will find his experience with a  

multinational company helpful to him in his study of the relevant courses. Unlike those who have never  

been to any business firm, he knows what a typical company is like and how it works.  

Last but not least, some work before college years will make a student more independent. Nowadays  

high school students are generally well taken care of either by their parents or by teachers. This  

unfortunately leads to their being too dependent on the others, especially in times of difficulty. If they  

work with a company for some time, even on a part-time basis, they will become more independent.  

And this kind of independence shall contribute a lot to their success in university years.  

A year away from school working or traveling may be just what is needed to give young people the life  

experience and confidence that will better prepare them for college. This short break should not be  

viewed as a waste of time. On the contrary, it is an excellent opportunity to discover and develop one’s  

interests and talents and figure out long term goals. Some of the most important learning experiences in  

life are best acquired outside of school.