Writing Test 27

As I passed through the gates I heard a squeaky voice. A diminutive middle-aged man came out from behind the trees the caretaker. He worked a toothbrush-sized stick around in his mouth, digging into the crevices between algae'd stubs of teeth. He was barefoot; he wore a blue batik shirt known as a buba, baggy purple trousers, and an embroidered skullcap. I asked him if he would show me around the shrine. Motioning me to follow, he spat out the results of his stick work and set off down the trail.
[passage-footer]The Sacred Grove of Oshogbo by Jeffrey Tayler[/passage-footer]

Jerry was the kind of guy you love to hate. He was always in a good mood and always had something positive to say. When someone would ask him how he was doing, he would reply, "If I were any better, I would be twins!" He was a unique manager because he had several waiters who had followed him around from restaurant to restaurant. The reason the waiters followed Jerry was because of his attitude. He was a natural motivator. If an employee was having a bad day, Jerry was there telling the employee how to look on the positive side of the situation.

Although I have grown up to be entirely inept at the art of cooking, as to make even the most wretched chef ridicule my sad baking attempts, my childhood would have indicated otherwise; I was always on the countertop next to my mothers cooking bowl, adding and mixing ingredients that would doubtlessly create a delicious food. When I was younger, cooking came intrinsically with the holiday season, which made that time of year the prime occasion for me to unite with ounces and ounces of satin dark chocolate, various other messy and gooey ingredients, numerous cooking utensils, and the assistance of my mother to cook what would soon be an edible masterpiece. The most memorable of the holiday works of art were our Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, which my mother and I first made when I was about six and are now made annually.  

[passage-header]Read the excerpt given below and answer the question that follows:[/passage-header]Inspiration is a phenomenon with many variables. It is difficult to tell when it will come arduous to predict when it will leave yet it is a soulful feast nonetheless. When in the realm of inspiration, ordinary objects can seem phenomenal and the slightest details can be observed (Cannus 64). Inspiration is a wonderful state, as we are most productive and joyful when inspired. In a way, our whole life is searching for that particular state of inspiration that we have come to call ecstasy. In this life-long race for the extraordinary to excite us, though, we sometimes get tired of searching. When life induces too much stress, too much noise and too much rush, it is wondrous to put your headphones on, click play on your favorite playlist and close your eyes, giving way to music.

Since the times when Facebook and other social media networks gained popularity, the word friends has evolved. Along with the traditional meaning, it also started to mean people whom you get online updates and messages from, whom you inform about your recent activities, whom you get in touch with virtually, and so on. At the same time, a friend on Facebook can actually be a random person, a stranger whom you have seen only once or twice. People add new friends easily; this is related especially to teenagers and students, who tend to friend everyone they meet, including their teachers. Some people see it as a positive sign, assuming that virtual friendship will help make studying more fun and simple. However, there are strong reasons behind teachers decisions not to add students as friends on Facebook or other social media platforms.

The most significant concern is privacy, and perhaps teachers are more vulnerable in these terms than teenagers. Students might learn details from the lives of their teachers which they are not supposed to learn: information about intimate relationships, vacations, and so on.

China has a rapidly growing economy, with many companies now becoming world leaders or at least major competitors to already existing onesfor example, Meizu, Xiaomi, AliExpress, and many others. This means two things: firstly, China has a giant labor market, with the amount of workplaces growing every day. For a person both inside or outside China, this is a great opportunity to find his or her dream job. Secondly, as a person from abroad looking for an internship or a job in China, you have higher chances to be hired compared to applying to the same position in your home country; this occurs due to your foreign expertise and the knowledge of English (or another foreign language), which can theoretically help a Chinese company be a more efficient competitor. This is also the factor that can bring you a quicker promotionso, why miss the opportunity? Working in China is a great experience, and a huge bonus to your CV in case you decide to work elsewhere after your Chinese experience.