【题目】

Some people think the government should spend more money on public services rather than wasting money on art.

To what extent do you agree or disagree with this statement?

这题要讨论的是：政府应该为艺术发展买单，还是应该专注民生，完善公共服务。那像这类题目，双方都很难完全否定，因此“一边倒”的写法并不容易。

范文采取的是更容易下手的双面写法，即“双方都肯定，重点讨论有争议的一方”。

【范文】

(1) With the development of modern society, governments are allocating more funds to building art galleries, theatres or supporting the life and work of artists. Some people disapprove the governments’ decisions and insist that the money should be spent on public services to improve people’s living standard in a more direct way. In my view, however, although funding public services is essential to social development, art is also an indispensable part of the society that should be valued.

(2) It is true that establishing public services is the top priority of the government. It provides for basic human needs and guarantees the stability of the society. In China, people have been relying on public services since the day of birth. They receive education in schools founded and supported by the government. When they are sick, the government helps paying for the medical care. Besides, everybody enjoys the public facilities like highways, parks, libraries and so forth which all come from government investments.

(3) However, this does not mean that the government spending money on art is unnecessary. Although people do not feed on art, it is still their natural instinct to pursue beauty. Once the survival needs are met, people start seeking spiritual fulfillments by creating and appreciating art, which helps them to calm down and relax after long hours of labor. Naturally, apart from bread and milk, the government should also take care of the spiritual life of common people.

(4) Admittedly, with successful commercialised operation, many art groups perform well and do not need the financial support from the government. Yet, there are still ones that depend on government funding. For example, Peking Opera, which is a valuable cultural inheritance of China, might not have survived and thrived without the promotion by the government. It is the same with many other art forms of art all over the world.

(5) In conclusion, it is the government’s duty to facilitate public services that provide for the basic needs of citizens. Nevertheless, art is also an important part of human life and deserves equal attention and support from the government.

【解析】

这篇文章中，Eileen采用了经典的“五段式”。

开头是标准的“引入-对方观点-我方论点”模式，提出核心论点：“虽然公共服务对社会发展至关重要，但艺术也是社会生活中不可或缺的重要环节。”