It is art and music that differentiate humans from animals. The serenity and tranquility that music and arts provide only human can enjoy.

TOEFL TWE Sample Essays ToeflEssays. com

m

Answers to All toefl Essay Questions

Topic 125 Should art and music be compulsory subjects?

Life cannot be full without understanding and appreciating the greatest culture inheritances from our earlier generations such as arts and music. Secondary school prepares us to enter into college and adult life. Therefore all students should be required to study art and music in secondary schools.

Arts are a part of our life. From antique cave drawings to African tribal crafts, from Indian totem poles to modern buildings, arts are everywhere. Not to mention those art exhibitions in art galleries and museums, which attract hundreds of millions of people to visit them each year. Even our home equipments are made with a touch of art. Arts are ubiquitous.

Music is also an important cultural heritage of human being and remains a part of our present. It is common sense that music can relax our body and soul. For example, by listening to classical music that are played by traditional instruments, while gaining knowledge about the history and stories behind these music, students can really improve their knowledge, cultivate their spirits and broaden their views.

Studying arts and music in high school also allow students to take a break between those mentally demanding courses such as math and physics. These arts and music course can even help students improve their results in math and physics, because a good relaxation can help students concentrate more later on.

I am high school student myself and I believe that all students should be required to take arts and music courses during their secondary school years. It is not necessary for students to learn arts in order to become artists; but it is definitely necessary for students to learn to appreciate arts.

TOEFL TWE Sample Essays

ZT>

ToeflEssays. com

Answers to All toefl Essay Questions

Topic 125 Should art and music be compulsory subjects?

Art and music are the advanced products of civilizations. They have been developed through thousands of years and accompanied by the progress of science and knowledge. In this sense, some people think that all students should be required to study art and music in secondary school. In my opinion, I totally agree the statement for a number of reasons.

As is so often pointed out that art and music can broaden people's view of the world. The world that we live in is not only a material world, but also a spiritual world. The art and music that belong to the latter can benefit our souls and form our personalities. For instance, a piece of music often can bring us different feelings such as calm, happy, sad or sorrow. I would always like to listen to Tchaikovsky's Pathetique when I am in a bad mood; I always feel much better and ready to face challenges again after I hear it. I believe most of us have this kind of experience. Art and music education in high school can enrich students' life, even though they will not make them as a career at a later time.

In addition, the love for art and music can become a good hobby for a person who has this kind of education when he/she is young. Many people have various hobbies that make their life meaningful and they may seldom feel bored during their spare time. Appreciating art and music is a great hobby. Many students acquire the hobby of appreciating art or listening to music after they took courses in art and music in high school.

Last but not least, for some students art and music can help with their career pursuit, because they can get inspirations from art and music to achieve in other fields. For example, the profession of architecture has a strong relationship with art and music. "Buildings are frozen music." We can see that many buildings that were designed by architects were influence by some form of art. On the other hand, Albert Einstein, the Nobel Prize winner and the famous scientist, was also an excellent violinist and he admitted that music could refresh his mind and lead to more effective thinking. Moreover, some students pursue a career in art and music due to their art education in high school. They become artists or singers after they graduate.

Maybe we are not aware of it at first, but from the above arguments we could see that art and music education are very important for high school students. It will surely benefit their school life and life after

TOEFL TWE Sample Essays

Itt

ToeflEssays. com