Passage 1

What shall we do in the era of rapid development of information technology? I think we should understand the era of the New Economy we are in nowadays. The Internet has facilitated the economic development in the new era.
    The function of information technology in marketing is more than just receiving orders on the Net. IT serves also as a means of attracting clients. The Net can provide clients with something not possible in the past.
    The Net has revolutionized the way companies are run. Electronic mail, for instance, has improved management efficiency tremendously. Traditional telephone conversations and face-to-face contacts could easily be interrupted.
    We hope workers would develop the habit of independent thinking, but this will be a gradual learning process. While many may end up as losers in the New Economy, the winners will reap huge profits.

Culture will never remain static. As society and times change, so will cultural development. Changes in domestic and regional environments will continue to shape our mindset and thinking.
    Cultural development must therefore keep abreast with the new environment. However, economic development and social harmony will remain our two pillars for prosperity and stability.
    Cultural development is an important element for building a harmonious society. In a multiracial society, we must not only promote cultural development, but also stress the need for social harmony.
    The promotion of traditional culture in our multi-racial country is not only a tradition but also a mission. We must constantly strengthen our traditional values of various ethnic communities and avoid cultural conflicts.