Some people think drawings and paintings are as important as other subjects, and they should be made compulsory in high school education. To what extent do you agree or disagree ?

SAMPLE ANSWER 1

Nowadays, many people contemplate whether art classes should be compulsory courses of high school. I believe it is absolutely necessary to make this idea come true as soon as possible.
One of the reasons is that some arworks are rich in knowledge and through appreciating artworks in class, students can have access to a wide range of knowledge. For example, compared with the liited narration in history book, one of the masterpieces of Leonardo di ser Piero da Vinci, The Last Supper, displays a scene of religion in a more vivid and profound way. Art classes offer students another opportunity to think about some knowledge and these classes are significant complement to some core classes like math and science. Without these art classes, students can only acquire knowledge through words, which is not always the most effective and comprehensive approach to learn.
Apart from that, the underlying merits of attending art classes will benefit the students in the long term, which are no less than those of studying some core subjects as we know, academic performance is no longer the only standard to judge a student for many universities and as result, being adept at music or painting do help. After they enter the university, even if they study other majors in college, the skills qualities cultivated through these art classes may assist them to perform better. The abilities to be focused, to be detail-oriented and to be persistent will be conducive to students no matter what their disciplines are.
Considering the advantages of making art classes as a compulsory part in high school discussed above, I believe it is a wise choice from every aspect.

SAMPLE ANSWER 2

Schools are places where students acquire knowledge and skills needed for turther achievements. Given the pressure that students are facing, some cannot help wondering whether art classes should still be compulsory.
Those holding the view that art classes should not be compulsory might think that art consumes too much of students' time. Fierce competitions students will face when applying for universities necessitate total devotion to academic subjects. College students who intend to take science as their major are even expected to be fluent in foreign languages now so that essays written by foreign scholars are not barriers in their academic pursuit. In other words, high school students are supposed to show higher levels of academic competence, which seemingly makes art unessential.
However, art classes are by no means only intended for entertainment. Children even dabbling in art tend to be more creative in mind. Those skilled in music or painting can interpret the work in a way that we cannot expect from a layman. This kind of ingenuity is also a rare quality constantly found in great scientists, whose contributions have served to create a totally new field for the latter generations. In his reply to a question about death, Albert Einstein considered his departure from the mortal word to be forever farewell to another great musician. With a sigh he answered" I cannot listen to Mozart anymore". Thus can we simply regard art classes to be selective ?
In conclusion, although stricter academic requirements are imposed on students, this cannot be an excuse for excluding art subjects from their curricula. Whatever knid of art can stimulate and inspire students, paving way for their future academic attainment.