Essay
 
Topic: It has recently been announced that a large shopping center may be built in your neighborhood. Do you support or oppose this plan? Why? Use specific reasons and details to support your answer.
 
This problem is a much-debated one that it affects everyone in their daily lives. (This issue is a controversial one that affects the daily lives of everyone.) (“daily lives”) (A) People may prefer one to another, although some have no idea about it. (People usually take one sides over the other, despite not having any idea about the subject.) (“take one side over the other”) (B) But if I am concerned, I can only disagree with the title statement and the reasons are given below. (But in my case, I cannot take any one side and only disagree with the title statement for my reasons below.)
 
With reference to environment and pollution, the reason why I disagree to build a shopping center near the community is that it may bring much noise. (With regard to the environment and pollution, the reason why I disagree with building a shopping center near my community is that it would be very noisy.) (1) They may disturb people’s daily life. (Shopping centers can disrupt the daily lives of people.) If there is a shopping mall, it must attract thousands of people to visit and, of course, a lot of noise and rubbish are produced. (If a shopping mall were built, it would attract thousands of people and consequently, a lot of noise and trash as well.) (2)  (“thousands of people”) (C)
 
Second, because shopping center must be occupy many spaces. (Secondly, shopping centers occupy a lot of space.) (3) As a result the community will get more and more crowded, and also lose some grassland. We can’t see the green trees behind the shopping mall. (We will not be able to see the green trees behind the shopping mall.) We can’t appreciate the night sky clearly. (We will not be able to appreciate the night sky clearly.) What we may see is a mess.
 
Finally, if all this happens, what direct result is that it seriously affects people’s health. (Finally, if a shopping center were built, the overall result would have an adverse affect on people’s health.) Living in a crowded and noisy community, you can’t find green grass to rest on. Only you can breathe is polluted air. (You can only breathe polluted air.) How can human beings live healthy in such unpleasant surroundings?
 
Again, I would state my objection to this issue after analyzing the three reasons. Building a shopping center near the community is the wrong choice. It will harmful both the environment and human beings. (It would harm both the environment and human beings.)
 
II.   Editorial Comments
 
1.       Original: With reference to environment and pollution, the reason why I disagree to build a shopping center near the community is that it may bring much noise. Revised: With regard to the environment and pollution, the reason why I disagree with building a shopping center near my community is that it would be very noisy.
 
Disagree with something表示不同意某事，Disagree to do表示不同意做某事。这里用disagree with表示有人提议建一个购物中心，但我不同意这个建议。不是不同意去做。it may bring much noise是中式英语表达法，不地道。
 
2.       Original: If there is a shopping mall, it must attract thousands of people to visit and, of course, a lot of noise and rubbish are produced. Revised: If a shopping mall were built, it would attract thousands    of people and consequently, a lot of noise and trash as well.
 
首先在if从句中，动词要用虚拟语态，这一点我们在第一章中已经提到。
其次，为求简洁，多个客体都可以用一个动词表达，只要不会造成歧义。如此句中的people, noise和trash都可以用attract修饰。
 
3.       Original: Second, because shopping center must be occupy many spaces. Revised: Secondly, shopping centers occupy much space.
 
副词Secondly放在局首，引导整个句子。
Space是不可数名词，用much，而不是many。
 
III.  Alternative Expressions
 
A.    The expression “daily lives” refers to ordinary lives of people in their daily existence. Example: People tend to get involved in their daily lives and often don’t time for themselves. Other ways to express:
(i)    “day to day” – Example: As the weather changes, one’s day to day activities also change.
(ii)   “daily rut” – Example: Most people fall into the daily rut of working and don’t find time to relax.
 
B.    To “take one side over the other” refers to take a position or favor something/person or another thing or person. Example: He took one side over the other although he wasn’t clear on the argument. Other similar expressions include:
(i)    “side with” – Example: He sided with his brother’s opinion.
(ii)   “in favor of” – Example: He is in favor of taking the train instead of the plane to Shanghai.
 
C.    The expression “thousands of people” is an overly used expression signifying a mass quantity of people. Alternative ways to express a mass quantity of people in a rush for an event include:
(i)    “hordes of people”,
(ii)   “herds of people”,
(iii)  “swarm of people”.