On May 12, 2008, Fan Meizhong, a teacher at Guangya School in Dujiangyan, revealed he had fled his classroom during the earthquake leaving his students behind. Some people say that he lacked responsibility to his students while others say he had a right to save his own life first. What is your opinion about this?

　　范文：

Respecting the Elderly Is a Traditional Chinese Virtue

　　尊敬老人是中华民族的传统美德

　　The elderly have accumulated a lifetime's worth of experience, however, many young people often regard them as irrelevant, embarrassing, and out of touch. As far as I am concerned, the traditional Chinese virtue to respect the old people needs to be emphasized.

　　Firstly, the elderly deserve the respect due to their effort in bringing up their children and their contribution to society. We should always bear in mind that what we have and enjoy now was created by the aged people in the early days, as the old Chinese saying goes, "One generation plants trees under whose shade another generation rests," Secondly, family is one of the best places for learning values, so every family should inspire younger members to respect the older ones. It is important, therefore, to set an example at home by taking good care of the elderly members, so that children learn to adopt this same practice. Families should make a point of including and involving the older members in the family activities and decisions. In this way, families will exemplify the right values, and young members will learn first-hand on how to respect the elderly,

　　Perhaps the most important test of a society is the way individuals behave towards one another. And specifically, how that society treats its elderly men and women. If young people do not respect the elderly, the whole society will be a mess without respect. Therefore, the elderly should be respected by all of us. (244 words)