Do “Lucky Numbers” Really Bring Luck？（1998．6）
（吉祥数字真能带来好运吗？）
1. 有些人认为某些数字会带来好运。
2. 也有些人认为数字和运气无关。
3. 试说明你的看法。
写作标题及汉语提纲将短文定位为论说文。第一段，说明目前社会上有些人认为某些
数字会带来好运，如“8”发，“十全十美”，“六六大顺”等。第二段，有些人认为数字和运气无关，数字是一回事，运气是另外一回事，两者之间的关系纯属风马牛不相及。 最后一段，说明自己对这一问题的看法，必须申明自己持这种观点的理由。
参考范文：
Some people insist that some numbers bring them good luck. Take “8” for example. The Chinese pronunciation of the number “8” has almost the same sound as that of the Chinese character “发 [fa:]”, which means making a fortune. Therefore, many Chinese people spend a lot of money to get their telephone numbers or car numbers to include this number “8”. They believe without any doubt that the number will bring them money.
However, others don’t believe that numbers have any connection with good luck. They think such an idea is only an ignorant and superstitious belief. A number is one thing, and good luck is another. They will say: How can you ever have any good luck simply because of some lucky numbers, even if you don’t work hard, don’t have good opportunities and don’t get along well with the people around you?
As far as I am concerned, I agree with the latter. Obviously, such a belief is only a kind of superstition. Perhaps it holds true for some cases, but often it does not. Numbers can never bring good luck to a person at all and our fortune is in our own hands. Therefore, everyone can have good fortune only if he tries his best. Let’s always remember “Opportunities are only for the prepared mind” and “No pains, no gains.”
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