3. Cause and effect essay

 3. Cause and effect essay

It serves one of two purposes: either it shows the effects of a thing or vent, or it explains the causes of a thing or event. Cause and effect essays deal with the action result relationship. They explain why things happen (causes) and what happens as a result  (effects). 

They can be written to inform or to persuade. 

Dropping out

University administrators call it “retention”, and it refers to the number of students who choose to stay in college. It is a lot cheaper for these university heads to try to keep existing students than to recruit new ones. However, this is a difficult task. The truth is, no matter how much these administrators focus on keeping students in schools, there are always reasons for them to drop out. 

One of the most common reasons students drop out of college is financial. Universities, especially private ones, must charge exorbitant fees to keep their doors open, and some students do not have the means to continue their studies. Even public universities have had to increase their fees. Without adequate amounts of state and federal tax dollars, the increasing cost of tuition, textbooks, housing, and other activities often falls on the student and his or her family. As a result many students drop out of college because of a shortage of funds. 

Another cause for students to drop out of school is that they ding the rigors of the course work too demanding. Due to being unprepared for all the studying involved in maintaining good grades, these students end up leaving the university after a short time. In high school they may have been overachievers and regularly appeared on the honor roll. College is different. There are few people purchasing students to study and do well in all aspects of university life. Students cannot get by “cramming” for exams as they did in high school. If new university students do not have the study habits to keep up with the university professors, it will not take long for them to be left behind. 

Finally, there are those students who suffer the personal pressures of being university students. These individuals are away from home for the first time and living with strangers. They cannot cope with the absence of family. University life does not seem “right” for these individuals. The pull of home is too strong for them, and they succumb to the desire of being back at home. 

Whatever the reasons, it is no joke that “retention” numbers are not as healthy as they may appear on the surface. Perhaps if administrators and others tried to really understand the reasons behind these “leavers” and attempted some type of interventions, more university students would remain in college. 

Cancer risks

Lung cancer kills more people in one year than all criminal and accidental deaths combined. This statistic is shocking, but the good news is that people are now well-informed about the risks connected to lung cancer. They know that their risk of contracting this terrible disease decreases if they either stop smoking or do not smoke at all. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about other types of cancer. Many people are not aware that their everyday behavior can lead to the development of different forms of cancer. By eating better, exercising regularly, and staying out of the sun, people can reduce their risks of cancer. 

Instead of foods that are good for them, people often eat unhealthy foods, such as hamburgers, French fries, and pizza. These popular foods contain large amounts of saturated fat, which is one of the worst kinds of fat. Although light and fat-free products are constantly being introduced to the consumer market, many people still buy foods that contain fat because they often taste better. However, eating fatty foods can increase a person’s chance for some kind of cancer. People do not eat as many fresh vegetables and fresh fruits as they used to. Instead, they now eat a lot more processed foods that do not contain natural fiber. Lack of fiber in a person’s diet can increase the chance of colon cancer. In the past, people with less information about nutrition actually had better diets than people do today. They also had fewer cases of cancer. 

Many people today are overweight, and being overweight has been connected to some kinds of cancer. Since television sets are now a standard piece of furniture in most living rooms, people spend more time sitting down and mindlessly eating snacks than they did in the past. The first generation of TV watchers started the couch potato boom, and today’s couch potatoes are bigger than ever. Health experts warn that being overweight is a risk not only for heart disease but also for certain kinds of cancer. The best way to attain a healthy weight is for people to cut back on the amount of food that they consume and to exercise regularly. It is not possible to do only one of these and lose weight permanently. The improved diet must be in conjunction with regular exercise. In the past, people did more physical activity than people do today. For example, people used to walk to work; now almost no one does. In addition, people had jobs that required more physical labor. Now many people have desk jobs that require sitting in front of computers. 

Finally, health officials are gravely concerned by the astounding rise in the case of skin cancer. Many societies value a tanned complexion, so on weekends people tend to flock to the beach or swimming pools and lie in the sun. Many of these people do not use a safe sunscreen, and the result is that they often get sunburned. Sunburn damages the skin, and repeated damage may lead to skin cancer later in life. Once the damage is done, it cannot be undone. Thus, prevention is important. In the past, people did not lie in direct sunlight for long periods of time, and skin cancer was not as prevalent as it is now. People have started to listen to doctors’ warnings about this situation, and more and more people are using proper sunscreens. Unfortunately, millions of people already have this potential cancer problem in their skin and may develop cancer later. 

Cancer has been around since the earliest days of human existence but only recently has the public been made aware of some of the risk factors involved. Anti Smoking campaigns can be seen everywhere–on billboards, in television commercials, on the radio, and in newsprint. If the same amount of attention were given to proper diets, exercise, and sunscreens, perhaps the number of overall cancer causes could be reduced. 

The truth behind lying

 Most children are taught the virtue of honesty from fairy tales and other stories. The celebrated story of Pinocchio, who begins life as a puppet, teaches the importance of telling the truth. Every time Pinocchio lies, his nose grows longer and longer. Another story about the boy who “cried wolf” exemplifies how lying led to his losing all of his sheep as well as the trust of his fellow villagers. In the United States, young children learn the tale of young George Washington, who finally admits to his father that he cut down the cherry tree. These types of stories show children that “honesty is the best policy”. Still, if this is the case, then why do so many people lie? The fact is that human beings lie for many reasons. 

One reason for lying has to do with minimizing a mistake. While it is true that everyone makes a blunder from time to time, some people do not have the courage to admit their errors because they fear blame. For example, students might lie to their teachers about unfinished homework. They might say that they left the work at home when, in fact, they did not do the work at all. These students do not want to seem irresponsible, so they male up an excuse–a lie– to save face. 

Another reason people lie is to get out of situations that they do not want  to be in or cannot manage. For example, if a company decides to have a weekend meeting, one of the managers might not feel like attending. She may call her boss and give this excuse: “I’ve been fighting off a cold all week, and I truly cannot risk getting the others sick. I’ll be sure to get all of the notes on Monday”. When individuals do not want to admit the truth and then face the consequences, they use lies to avoid difficulties. 

In contrast, some people might tell a “white lie” when they do not want to hurt someone else’s feelings. For example, if a good friend shows up with an unflattering new haircut, one could be truthful and say, “that haircut looks awful, What were you thinking?!” a more likely scenario is to say. “It's very original! It suits you,” and spare the friend’s feelings. These types of lies are generally not considered negative or wrong. In fact, many people who have told the truth to loved ones, only to see the negative reaction, wish they had told a white lie. Therefore, white lies can be useful in maintaining good relationships. 

A somewhat different reason for lying has to do with self protection. Parents, particularly those with small children, may teach their children to use this type of protective lie in certain circumstances. What should children do if a stranger calls while the parents are out? Many parents teach their children to explain that mom and dad are too busy to come to the phone at that time. In this situation, protective lying can prevent harm or disaster.

People lie for many reasons, both good and bad. However, before people resort to lying in order to cover up mistakes or to avoid unpleasant situations, perhaps the motives for lying should be analyzed. One’s lies may one day be exposed and cause severe embarrassment or the loss of people’s trust. 

 

Effects of studying abroad

Globalization has impacted all aspects of modern-day life, from a country’s commerce and politics to a family’s everyday decision-making strategy at the grocery store. One of the elements of globalization that is of particular interest in the field of education is study abroad programs. Host countries and institutions are eager to accept international students while the students are intrigued by the possibility of international travel. Studying abroad has become an opportunity that is available to many students, especially those at the university level. Certainly, studying abroad is not for everyone; however, for those students who experience it, the positive effects will stay with them forever. 

One important effect of studying abroad is a student’s greater understanding of a different educational system. The curriculum availability and types of lectures, and the educational environment as a whole will differ from that of the student's home country. At first the student may be confused, but this exposure to a different curriculum will broaden his or her educational horizon in the long run. As a result of the new academic culture, the student will be able to better appreciate his or her own educational setting later at home. 

Individuals who study abroad also develop their understanding of a different popular culture. Even if the host country’s language is the same, there are many cultural experiences that the student will have. From learning how to live with a host family to finding the least expensive grocery store, the student will come across new and sometimes frustrating customs and conventions. Consequently, he or she will need to adapt to rules and behaviors that are unfamiliar. The comfortable, well-known lifestyle of the student’s past has disappeared and been replaced with the newness of everything. This life exercise may be difficult in the beginning of the study abroad period, but it becomes easier as time passes and the student develops a better understanding of the host country. 

Finally, studying abroad gives students the opportunity to serve as ambassadors for their home countries. A foreign student on a university campus can be an uncommon sight. The host institution, including the local student body, will form an impression of the student’s culture based on interactions with him or her. As a result, the student should remember to represent this or her country and culture in the best possible light. 

To summarize, there are a number of effects of studying abroad, not only for the student but also for the host institution. While some of the experiences may seem difficult at the time, the long-term effects can be considered positive. This is in large part because of globalization in the education sector.