Directions:
Write an essay based on the following chart. In your writing, you should
1）interpret the chart, and
2）give your comments
You should write about 150 words on the ANSWER SHEET.（15 points）
This pie chart explains how people spend money during the Spring Festival in a city in China. New year gifts account for the largest part of the spending—as much as 40%. Food consumption and transportation combine to equal 40%, with each taking up half of the percent-age. The remaining 20% are the miscellaneous spending habits of Chinese citizens during this specific period.
The fundamental factors that contribute to the aforementioned tendency may be summarized as follows. To begin with, gifts are given to family members during the Spring Festival as this practice is traditional in Chinese culture. Gifts play an indispensable role in maintaining and enhancing interpersonal relationships. Sometimes these gifts are in the form of money and the amounts can span up towards top-tier numbers. What’s more, as the living standards of the Chinese people continue improving, gifts—even expensive ones are becoming more and more affordable. In my opinion, it is generally a delightful phenomenon, while at the same time may lead to more financial burden on individuals.
In summary, the reasons why gifts make up the biggest proportion of spending during the Spring Festival are deeply-rooted in our society and culture. While we celebrate time-honored traditions during the holiday seasons, it is wise not to go to extremes to bankrupt ourselves.
本题属于图表作文，从图中信息我们可以直观地看出我国某市居民春节假期的花销构成。作图人是想通过这样一幅比例图反映出某种社会现象，写作应从以下几个角度着手。
第一，图表描述。描述图表不用面面俱到，要突出最重要的部分，即买礼物的钱占比最大，占 40%，这是出题人希望考生重点阐述的部分；注意饼状图的特定称谓是 pie chart。
第二，分析原因。为什么居民在买礼物上花钱最多？简要列举两三条原因即可。注意，写作时要善用连接词，以使文章条理清晰，例如， To begin with…/ What’s more…/ In addition… 等。考生可以陈述自己的观点，即你认为这一现象有什么影响、有什么好处或坏处。
第三，归纳结论或提出建议措施。该段应总结全文，并提出自己的建议。