Studying abroad offers students many advantages. First of all, students have the opportunity to learn a new language by interacting with native speakers every day. The students live in a new culture, so they can learn both in and out of the classroom. Studying abroad teaches students that there are other ways of looking at the world. This is a very important part of education. Students learn to be flexible because they have to adapt to different ways of living. They experience another culture in a much more significant way than if they simply took a vacation to another country. Foreign students are far from home. Therefore, they have to become responsible and self-reliant. When they study abroad, students have an experience they will remember all their lives.

Revising for Content Look at the paragraph below. Focus only on the content—the writer’s ideas and organization. Make comments and suggestions based on the following questions:

1. Does the writer give enough information?

2. Does the topic sentence state the main idea of the paragraph?

3. Does the writer give reasons for his or her opinions?

4. Is the paragraph smooth or choppy?

5. Does the writer use overgeneralizations?

Don't worry about misspelled words and other errors for now.

There are several reasons that undergraduate students should not study away from home living away from home is much more expensive than living at home. Families can save money by not paying room and board, teenagers are not mature enough to live far away from their families. Therefore, they often get into trouble. Some students even fail courses because they are not disciplined enough to study in addition they never go to class. Finally many students feel lonely and homesick So they are not able to study. All undergraduate students who stay home with their families get a good education and also a good price.

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My neighborhood is fascinating because people from all over the world live in it. When I walk down the main street of my neighborhood, I can hear the unfamiliar sounds of languages from all over the world. Each ethnic group has its own colorful shop or fascinating restaurant. On a warm evening, I can smell the sweet melons from the Korean

produce store and the spicy curries from the Indian restaurant. These smells are free, but for a small price, I can also buy any of 50 kinds of cheeses with strange names from one store, or exotic Asian vegetables and the spices to cook them in from another. The people of the neighborhood take pride in their surroundings. On almost every street , they plant trees and flowers from their native countries to remind them of home and to brighten up the dull gray cement and run-down apartment buildings. One of my neighbors plants delicate Scottish flowers every year in memory of her mother’s garden in Scotland.

Another neighbor has a Chinese vegetable garden in window boxes. I don’t need to buy an airplane ticket to experience the world, a walk around my neighborhood can be just as exciting.

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Muscat, the ancient cap*ital of Oman, is on a spectacular site. The city lies on a narrow strip of land between the sparkling blue waters of the Arabian Gulf and the rocky brown moun*tains behind it. Muscat is a wonderful combination of historic sites and modern buildings. Tourists inter*ested in history will marvel at the splendid forts with their watchtowers and walled gateways. Those with an interest in contemporary architecture will appreciate the simple lines of the Sultan's lovely but unpretentious palace. Directly adjacent to Muscat is the harbor of Muttrah with its beautiful corniche and busy market full of the sights and sounds of this ancient bridge between the Middle East and Asia.

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We live in an ordinary house and I think it is terrific! Our house is now 30 years old, but it looks newer. My house is like hundreds of other houses in the suburbs, one story with an attached garage. There is nothing special about the house, and it won’t win any prizes for architecture, but it’s perfect for our family. The kitchen is big and has new appliances, including a beautiful new dishwasher and a microwave oven. I don’t like the heat, but we have air conditioning in the living room and bedrooms, so it is always cool. For the kids there’s a nice yard where they can play. It’s very safe, so my wife and I don’t have to worry. I am very thankful that we can afford this house and live our ordinary lives there.

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October 30,20__

Dear Editor,

Regarding the article about people who don't pay taxes on money they make from small home businesses (Government Targets Small Business Owners, Oct. 23), my opinion is that the government should stay out of at least one part of our lives-our income!

First of all, most people who run small businesses are honest, law-abiding citizens. Many of them have other jobs where they pay more than their share of taxes (unlike the very wealthy, who find ways to pay almost no taxes). Others are people who want jobs where taxes are automatically taken out of their paychecks but can't find them.

Secondly, the government requires too much paperwork from small businesses. If these businesspeople have to keep the complicated records that the tax people require, they won't have time to sell old furniture, prepare food for parties, or whatever their business involves.

Finally, and most importantly, this is supposed to be a free country, but the government interferes everywhere. Let us be free at least in our own homes!

Sincerely,

AI Melinowski

Miami