Independent Writing:

　　Do you agree or disagree that with the following statement? It's more important for the government to spend money to build art museums and music performance centers than to build recreational facilities (such as swimming pool and playgrounds).

　　Art museums, concert halls and recreational facilities are indispensable to any civilized society. When it comes to the issue of the arrangement of a government's budget, some people suggest that the government should spend more of its funds on art museums and concert halls rather than on popular entertainment facilities such as swimming pools and playgrounds. Although investing in recreational facilities is a positive thing, I believe that art museums and concert halls carry more weight.

　　Admittedly, recreational facilities do need money. It is because sports enthusiasts usually outnumber lovers of art and music. For example, there are more basketball fans than piano players and basketball courts are always extremely crowded. Moreover, sports facilities represent a great expenditure of money and land. Usually, a standard outdoor basketball ground may cost the government around 10,000 dollars. However, the expense of recreational facilities can mainly rely on Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and famous athletes. For instance, Yao Ming, the best-known Chinese player in the NBA, could donate part of his annual income to set up a new basketball stadium, which helps cut down the governments' budget on recreational facilities significantly. In this circumstance, the government should invest more in the establishment of arts and music halls.

　　Appreciating arts and music can foster our children's interest in them. For instance, in art museums, children can observe masterpieces in person. This kind of amazing experience can never be replaced by simply watching TV at home or browsing webpages. Similarly, visiting concert halls, children can learn the names of the various musical instruments and familiarize themselves with the sound that these instruments produce. Then, the desire to play them will be followed and the interest in music takes shape. My younger brother XQ serves as a good example. I still remember that in July 2004, our family went to the city concert hall and for the first time in his life, he saw a band of professional musicians playing. He was deeply moved by the beautiful sound and decided to learn the piano. Now, he is an outstanding student in a school affiliated with the Central Conservatory of Music.

　　Appreciating arts and music is a way to release stress from work and school. After working hard all day, citizens should be all to ready to accept the refreshing experience that a famous painting or a fascinating concert brings. After polling thousands of Beijing citizens, the survey, conducted by China Daily, found that 55% of the respondents aged between fifteen and forty-five chose going to museums and concert as one of the best ways to relax. This result coincides with the fact that the number of visitors to museums and concerts increase significantly during the holidays and winter and summer vacations.

　　To sum up, despite the fact that spending money on recreational facilities enjoys a lot of support, the government could collect the fund for them through NGOs or other channels. Whereas, due to the irreplaceable influence on education and citizen's relaxation, art museums and concert halls deserve considerable investment.