英语GRE作文：点评一篇GRE 作文习作

It must be acknowledged that highlighting apparent differences is now playing an important part in distinguishing something or someone, especially in the field of tense business competitions. A free market economy is where this rule applies and works most effectively. Take American automobile industry for an example. Equipped with modern technology, many other countries are now able to manufacture the automobiles which are almost the same as America’s time-honored superior cars, in almost every way—the fashionable style, the comfortable seats, energy-effective processes, high-quality materials, and the like. Faced with the challenges of increasing resemblances, American manufacturers have tried to establish and distinguish their automobiles by creating a uniquely attractive emotional image of their cars: masculine, their owners having the money and leisure to drive those cars, to enjoy life, and so on. One of the classical examples of using an emotional image to differentiate one particular product from similar products is seen in the old Volvo slogan: "Volvo, the car for people who think." The suggested reason for buying the car was obvious: it was the intelligent choice. This was how the unique idea appealed to people—they wanted to be included in the group of intelligent, thoughtful people. So we can conclude that, whenever you’ve got something special, you are bound to stand out and get the upper hand of your competitors.

However, overemphasizing apparent differences may mask meaningful similarities between things, which would do harm to the constructive communications not only between individuals but also between cultures. First of all, too much focus on apparent differences may narrow one’s vision and blind one from the basic and fundamental similarities among apparent different things, and similarities are the very element necessary for mutual understandings, helpful discussions, and potential cooperation to develop. In addition, without acknowledging the fact that different cultures share common aspects of human nature such as desire, love, hate, jealousy, etc. and that each culture has the function to cultivate its people and enhance the power of the nation of which it is a part, one may find it really hard to understand another culture’s customs and values. This failure to understand another culture is where one’s biases and prejudices toward that culture start to form. And this illustrates how cultural gap develops. From the two reasons above, we can see the importance of encouraging people to study and to seek meaningful similarities to facilitate communications between cultures as well as between individuals.