【SAT资料】满分作文24篇

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3 h5 Y5 Q( w& r1. Technology promises to make our lives easier, freeing up time for leisure pursuits. But the rapid pace of technological innovation and the split second processing capabilities of computers that can work virtually nonstop have made all of us feel rushed. We have adopted the relentless pace of the very machines that were supposed to simplify our lives, with the result that, whether at work or play, people do not feel like their lives have changed for the better.
Adapted from Karen Finucan, “Life in the Fast Lane”
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9 D% b. @, C$ Q2 {1 m$ }Assignment: Do changes that make our lives easier not necessarily make them better? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.


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3 X  p1 P. G. D7 z8 oSample Essay  
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Throughout time mankind has strived to make his life easier. Whether it be through technology, science, or theories of social interaction every generation has made one contribution. From the idea of crop rotation to the cellular telephone mankind has advanced. It can be argued however, that not all of these advancements were beneficial. Many times people are accused of “taking the easy way out”, something that is looked down upon in today’s society.  
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Consider, if you will, ancient Grecian Society. With hardly any of the technological or scientific advancements we have today, they were able to produce some of the greatest thinkers of all time. Socrates and Plato still influence modern philosophical thought. In addition, these men were well versed in all disciplines. They were thinkers, mathematicians, writers, scientists, artists and much more. Examine some other great men in history. Leonardo Da Vinci was one of the greatest scientists and also one of the greatest artists of all time, he even invented and drew up early plans for the helicopter. These ancient men, without the technology and ease of life we have today, were able to produce some of the most prolific additions to human knowledge ever.
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Now let us examine some men from our time. Bill Gates, while adding immensely to the pleasures and ease of man’s life, did so only by forcefully destroying many fledgling companies and completely undermining our capitalistic market place. Very very few men in our time are leaders in more than one discipline. There are no scientists/artists or writer/mathematicians. Men, while being able to more deeply delve into a discipline, are now restricted to it. I attribute this to technology. We now have a life outside of our work, a life with computers, cars, movies, and dinner with the family from across the country. Mankind can no longer devote himself to his work. He has his work life, and his home life. While a cell phone allows me to talk to anyone from anywhere, it prevents me from being alone and fully concentrating.

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While the Internet allows me to look at websites from around the world, it prevents me from doing the work I set out to do. While technology and science have made man’s life easier, they have not made it better. Man has become less productive and less devoted, partly, as a result of this newfound ease of life. Therefore, what makes our lives easier does not necessarily make them better.

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2. A mistakenly cynical view of human behavior holds that people are primarily driven by selfish motives: the desire for wealth, for power, or for fame. Yet history gives us many examples of individuals who have sacrificed their own welfare for a cause or a principle that they regarded as more important than their own lives. Conscience––that powerful inner voice that tells us what is right and what is wrong––can be a more compelling force than money, power, or fame.
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Assignment: Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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Sample Essay
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  s+ ]" I1 H* y9 @* a- gAs society toils onward into its dreams of the future, the progress that accompanies this movement may be tainted by individual motives of avarice. However, as seen in various fields such as art, history, and science, the human conscience will limit the motivation of greed and inspire good works for the sake of morality. One’s sense of right and wrong forever impels one to be a decent, thoughtful person.
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- B3 B& `+ D, s  j3 `4 ^1 N, lSuch people widely populate the idealistic field of literature. Though novels may be rife with villainous, self-serving characters, only the heroic and moral personas emerge triumphant. For example, the well-known literary character Huckleberry Finn, from Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”, rescinds his claim to a sizable fortune if possessing such wealth would diminish his safety. Furthermore, Huck will risk himself to ensure the security of his close comrade Jim. His loyalty, a facet of one’s conscience, compels him to sacrifice his safety to ensure the well-being of others, which is more than money has accomplished in motivating Huck. Thus, a person, however fictional, considers the rewards of acting on conscience to be more fruitful than to be possessed by greed.
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0 m: z4 c8 G3 YAlthough such characters are fictional, the same motives of charity and morality have inspired numerous people in history to set aside their desires. Lyndon B. Johnson, Former President of the United States, pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress motivated by conscience and a desire to correct the immorality of racism in society. Though some Senators stridently opposed such a bill, the power of motivation by conscience impassioned Johnson to strive even harder to remain loyal to the American precepts of equality. Such is fruition of conscientious actions.
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Though the great figures of history seem out of reach in their stature, as an individual I am faced with moral dilemmas rather often. For example, I have been offered more weighty positions on the newspaper, but as a rule, I have always refused when there was someone better qualified than I. Consequently, their talents result in a more improved issue, thereby increasing the benefit for all.

3 m& `+ J+ M; |) ATherein lies the reason why we are compelled by conscience. Money, fame and power are fleeting and insubstantial, for they can never mend the integrity sacrificed to obtain them. It is only when we act in the name of what is right that all of our possible talents may benefit ourselves, our peers, and our ideals.

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3. The old saying, “be careful what you wish for,” may be an appropriate warning. The drive to achieve a particular goal can dangerously narrow one’s perspective and encourage the fantasy that success in one endeavor will solve all of life’s difficulties. In fact, success can sometimes have unexpected consequences. Those who propel themselves toward the achievement of one goal often find that their lives are worse once “success” is achieved than they were before.
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8 s- I+ k; h: r" `  DAssignment: Can success be disastrous? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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+ ?6 n& l' \9 C; ]: }Sample Essay
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The power of success can be disastrous when placed in the wrong hands. Naturally, there are those who will always choose to manipulate conditions to succeed in their own endeavors, not taking into consideration the lives of those around them. On the other hand, there may be those who do not necessarily pursue selfish ends, but simply do not know where to take success once it has been achieved, thus resulting in their own self-sabotage.
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Throughout history, we have seen success used wrongfully in the hands of the unworthy. Powerful leaders of nations, kingdoms, and empires, having succeeded in gaining leadership, have then used their influence wrongfully in achieving their own selfish (and sometimes twisted) goals. Nero, the Roman emperor who beat his pregnant wife to death and has been suspected of instigating the great fire of Rome in an attempt to boost his own political influence. Henry VIII of England, for whom women were beheaded for not bearing him a son, and who is rumored to have eaten eight chickens a night while English peasants starved. The notorious Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, who carried out the Spanish Inquisition. The list is endless.

Even in literature, we see the corruption and downfall of society and mankind as a whole as a result of the abuse of success in the possession of those who do not deserve it, as seen in William Shakespeare’s tragedy of King Lear. In the story, societal order is replaced with chaos when there is a power shift from Lear to his evil daughters, Regan and Goneril. This order only returns to a slight degree when virtue (in the form of Lear’s good daughter, Cordelia) returns to England. Success is hazardous when awarded to the unvirtuous.
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However, there may be those who are not necessarily evil of greedy in their pursuits, but merely do not know how to handle success. This proves to be just more disastrous to the individual than to anyone else, since it is the individual who will then sabotage his own success to return to his former comfort zone. Success is meant to be grown upon, not exploited or feared.

Success, when achieved by the unworthy or inexperienced, is a most disastrous element. Success is not about being happy at the expense of those about you –it is about using one’s newly gained happiness to improve the lives of others. If one reflects on the wise words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, one will never go astray: “To know that one person has breathed easier because you have lived -this is to have succeeded.”
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4. A better understanding of other people contributes to the development of moral virtues. We shall be both kinder and fairer in our treatment of others if we understand them better. Understanding ourselves and understanding others are connected, since human beings we all have things in common.
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' [9 l' W* l$ A0 V4 k7 k, bAdapted from Anne Sheppard, Aesthetics: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Art

Assignment: Do we need other people in order to understand ourselves? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Sample Essay
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Most parents and teachers tell students the extremely tired cliché of the consequences of following the crowd. It is said that, in order to be a completely individual thinker, one must ignore what others say. Such advice is certainly true to some extent; unreasonable malice must be forgotten in order to keep some level of self-esteem. However, as with most ideas, this one cannot be taken in absolute form. In at least some respects, we need other people in order to understand ourselves.

  |" I, N( N( M7 ^' l1 jAn excellent example of a literary character who could have psychologically benefitted from social interaction is J. Alfred Prufrock from T.S. Eliot’s poem “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock.” In the poem, Prufrock desires a relationship with a woman very much, but he refrains from initiating conversation because he fears that he could not hold the interest of a sophisticated lady. Should Prufrock have taken the step to accept other people into his life, he most likely would have discovered, as the reader of the poem certainly did, that he is most articulate. Others would have impressed upon him the beauty of his words and his talent for prose. If Prufrock would have spoken his song a loud, the ladies surely would have shown him what he himself did not understand. Since the ladies would reveal Prufrock’s talents to him, it is true that we need others in order to understand ourselves.
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The lesson of learning from other’s opinions of yourself extends much farther than the song of a fictional character. Two days ago, in an art class, my group of students had assigned self portraits due. Most of us brought in photographs of ourselves. Nevertheless, one boy brought nothing and handed us all slips of paper. He told us to write a word to describe him, and when we had done so, he pasted the words on a poster. This must have been a revealing exercise for him because, upon the sight of such descriptions as “bitter” and “sarcastic”, he was shocked. In the case of this boy, he had not realized how his personality appeared to others. Though he might not have thought himself “bitter”, his friend’s comments certainly made him seem that way. The fact that we need others in order to understand ourselves is clearly shown by this boy’s revelation.
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5. “Tough challenges reveal our strengths and weaknesses.” This statement is certainly true; adversity helps us discover who we are. Hardship can often lead us to examine who we are and to question what is important in life. In fact, people who have experienced seriously adverse events frequently report that they were positively changed by their negative experiences.


Assignment: Do you think that ease does not challenge us and that we need adversity to help us discover who we are? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

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& U" d; F* F, U9 Y0 T( S( |  \! G1 g5 vEveryone goes through their lives seeing and experiencing different things. At times, these different situations may cause one to act differently than another would in the same situation. It can be readily stated that “Ease does not challenge us; adversity helps us discover who we are.” Through literature, one can see how this statement proves to be true.
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8 D* T: L3 m* z# F! U6 Y, NIn the play, “The Enemy of the People”, by Henrik Ibsen, the protagonist, Dr. Stockholm, faced adversity, and through that, was able to discover his true beliefs and who he was. Before Dr. Stockholm was put in a situation where he had to face adversity, he had lived his life with mild ease and regularity. He acted just like everyone else in the town he lived in. Years later, he discovered that the popular bath houses were infected with bacteria. Determined to spread his findings, Dr. Stockholm went to the newspaper and the local governing office to try and make his discovery known. However, both the paper and the government weren’t as inspired to really let the public know about this serious problem due to the popularity of the bath houses. As a result, Dr. Stockholm was forced to face adversity and find a way to achieve his previously set goal. Through adversity, Stockholm was able to truly see how his personality was. He was able to understand his severe discontent with the government and society as a whole. In essence, Stockholm was able to discover his actual self. This, however, only happened when he was faced with a challenge.   
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The book, “Where the Heart is” by Billie Letts also used adversity to portray it’s characters true being. The protagonist, Novalee Nation, was placed in a situation where she had to realize and conquer adversity. Novalee was a young girl of 17, who was pregnant. She had experienced extreme hardship her whole life in the trailer park environment that she had previously resided in. She also received lots of abuse from her boyfriend who impregnated her. In the story, he had left her stranded in a K-Mart all by herself, while she was pregnant. All alone, Novalee had to find a way to keep herself and her baby alive. Along the way, through adversity, Novalee found her true, kind self. She also made countless discoveries through meeting different people. Among those things was her true love for photography and literature, and most of all her yearning for love in her life.  

In the face of adversity, we all act differently. We each have different ideas and methods that we are accustomed to use for different situations. By acting and making decisions on our own, as we are often times forced to do when given a challenge, we are able to find out who we truly are and what we truly believe in. The characters Dr. Stockholm and Novalee Nation are examples of that kind of people in literature. However, in literature and life, it is all the same. Ease does not challenge us; adversity helps us discover who we are.

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6. Traditionally the term “heroism” has been applied to those who have braved physical danger to defend a cause or to protect others. But one of the most feared dangers people face is that of disapproval by their family, peers, or community. Sometimes acting courageously requires someone to speak out at the risk of such rejection. We should consider those who do so true heroes.

Assignment: Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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9 O! @) d1 D9 z% ]& rSample Essay
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There are many types of heroes in real life or in literature, but the most courageous type of all is the one who is willing to stand up and say what they believe in even when everyone else lacks the courage to do so. Many people are content to go through life following the crowd. They will themselves to believe in ideas that society says is right, even when they know in their heart it is wrong. A hero is one who is willing to give up his position in society in order to tell people what he believes is right.
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The abolitionists, such as Harriet Beecher Stowe and William Lloyd Garrison, were heroes in their own time. Before the Civil War, people in all sections of the country thought that African Americans were animals and treated them as such. During the reform period of the Jacksonian era William Lloyd Garrison began to publish his abolitionist newspaper The Liberator. In this newspaper he demanded that the African American slaves be set free immediately, without any compensation to their owners. Because his view on slavery was against the common belief of the population he was not received well. Throughout his life he was given multiple death threats and one of his abolitionist friends was killed. Harriet Beecher Stowe was an abolitionist after Garrison’s time, but she was received in much of the same way. After the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 was released, she wrote the book Uncle Tom’s Cabin. It was a story of a slave living in the South and the cruelty of his owner. The inhumanness of the owner caused many southerners to ban the book in anger, but at the same time it brought the terrible act of slavery to the light. Many northerners used this book as a weapon against the South’s peculiar institution.  
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( s/ b% G( _0 Q: |& LRudyard Kipling once wrote in his poem “If,” which said that you will be a man if you can stand up and say what you believe in when all men around you doubt you. Heroes must have the courage to risk everything they love to stand up for themselves in the face of opposition. Both William Lloyd Garrison and Harriet Beecher Stowe stood up against a society which had accepted slavery as a right. They believed that what their heart told them was right and risked everything to tell the public what they believed in. These two people have hopefully shown others to believe in themselves and what they view in their hearts.

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滚吧肥汤圆UID：3272378

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. E  [# K& L) ?/ k) ZAssignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Sample Essay-Score of 6
Without our past, our future would be a tortuous path leading to nowhere. In order to move up the ladder of success and achievement we must come to terms with our past and integrate it into our future. Even if in the past we made mistakes, this will only make wiser people out of us and guide us to where we are supposed to be.
7 `5 B: z$ G8 i. p; A& D; ]This past year, I was auditioning for the fall play, “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.” To my detriment I thought it would be a good idea to watch the movie in order to prepare. For two hours I studied Elizabeth Taylor’s mannerisms, attitude, and diction, hoping I could mimic her performance. I auditioned for the part of “Maggie” feeling perfectly confident in my portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor, however, I was unaware that my director saw exactly what I had been thinking. Unfortunately, I didn’t get the part, and my director told me that he needed to see “Maggie” from my perspective, not Elizabeth Taylor’s.
I learned from this experience, and promised myself I would not try to imitate another actress, in order to create my character. Persevering, I was anxious to audition for the winter play just two months later. The play was Neil Simon’s “Rumors,” and would get the opportunity to play “Chris,” a sarcastic yet witty role, which would be my final performance in high school. In order to develop my character, I planned out her life just as I thought it should be, gave her the voice I thought was right, and the rest of her character unfolded beautifully from there. My director told me after the first show that “Rumors” was the best work he’d ever seen from me, and that he was amazed at how I’d developed such a believable character. Thinking back to my first audition I was grateful for that chance I had to learn and to grow, because without that mistake I might have tried to base “Chris” off of someone I’d known or something I’d seen instead of becoming my own character. I utilized the memory of the Elizabeth Taylor debacle to improve my approach to acting and gave the best performance of my life so far.
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# k2 N9 g* w9 X+ v) K" fThis essay effectively and insightfully develops its point of view (In order to move up the ladder of success and achievement we must come to terms with our past and integrate it into our future) through a clearly appropriate extended example drawing on the writer’s experience as an actor. The essay exhibits outstanding critical thinking by presenting a well-organized and clearly focused narrative that aptly illustrates the value of memory. The essay also uses language skillfully, demonstrating meaningful variety in sentence structure (To my detriment I thought it would be a good idea to watch the movie in order to prepare. For two hours I studied Elizabeth Taylor’s mannerisms, attitude, and diction, hoping I could mimic her performance. I auditioned for the part of “Maggie” feeling perfectly confident in my portrayal of Elizabeth Taylor, however, I was unaware that my director...). Despite minor errors, the essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and is scored a 6.
Sample Essay-Score of 6  
. r; C! P* p) u# FMemories act as both a help and a hindrance to the success of someone. Many people advise you to learn from the past and apply those memories so that you can effectively succeed by avoiding repeating your past mistakes. On the other hand, people who get too caught up with the past are unable to move on to the future.
+ \0 K! c) b" T2 [) _- EElie Wiesel’s memoir Night perfectly exemplifies the double nature of memories. Wiesel, a Jewish man, suffered heavily throughout the Holocaust and Night is rife with horrific descriptions of his experience. These memories help to spread the view of what life was like. Through recounting these memories, Wiesel is able to educate world readers about the atrocities committed in hopes that the same blatant violations of human rights are never repeated again. Through reliving the Holocaust through his writing, Wiesel was inspired to become proactive in the battle for civil rights. Some would point to his peaceful actions and the sales of his book and label him a success.
; o) |" z" w% H: J8 f# l* e2 n# JDespite the importance of recounting such memories, Wiesel acknowledges the damage that memories can also cause. Following his liberation from the Auschwitz concentration camp, Wiesel was a bitter, jaded man. He could not even write Night until several years later. The end of the novel describes Wiesel’s gradual but absolute loss of faith throughout the experience. His past experiences haunted him for several years, rendering him passive. It was not until he set aside his past that he could even focus on the future. Had he remained so consumed with the pain and damage caused in the past, he may never have achieved the success that he has attained.

Overall, Wiesel’s experiences exemplify the importance of the past as a guide. Wiesel’s past experiences helped to guide him in later life, but it was not until he pushed them aside that he could move on. To me this means that you should rely on your past without letting it control you. Allow your past to act as a guide, while making sure that you are also living in the present and looking to the future.
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& P1 e$ G7 o, P1 {/ Z' H8 tThis essay exhibits outstanding critical thinking by effectively and insightfully developing its point of view (you should rely on your past without letting it control you) through the clearly appropriate example of Elie Wiesel’s Holocaust memoir, Night. The essay demonstrates clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas, carefully contrasting Wiesel’s success in using his memories to gain attention for his cause with the difficulty Wiesel faced in dealing with those same powerful memories. The essay uses language skillfully to convey Wiesel’s struggle (Despite the importance of recounting such memories, Wiesel acknowledges the damage that memories can also cause. Following his liberation from the Auschwitz concentration camp, Wiesel was a bitter, jaded man. He could not even write Night until several years later). The essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and receives a 6.
Sample Essay-Score of 5
8 X& x& d4 O6 @+ c5 m, O/ VMemories and past experiences serve as a rail, a guiding support, for people in an effort to succeed in the present. People not only learn from the past, but the very act of going through something provides experience for a person who is to “move up the ladder of success and achievement”.
2 {  }" ~( Z* {& l  n% ^Some view failed experiences as a hindrance to future success. This is very untrue because history has a tendency of repeating itself, and in recognizing past failures, one can learn how to successfully approach similar situations in the future. An example of this is looking back in history to WWI. Sedition acts at this time allowed for the imprisonment of anyone who voiced an opinion against the president, or against the war. America recognized this shady time in its past, and instead of covering it up in a movement towards a more democratic nation, these acts were published in textbooks and taught to students. Americans saw the poor judgment of this situation and later with the war in Iraq, approached “patriotism” differently. With this present war, those adverse to the war are able to voice their opinions without fear of imprisonment or death. In seeing the undemocratic ways of an earlier era, America was able to recognize the bad and try to reform it. If the Sedition Acts had been forgotten then what is to say that they wouldn’t come back? Remembering the failed times insures that improvement is possible.
6 y8 z4 g: a% Z& Y& g* bIn my personal experience, I have found that the very act of living through something not only matures me, but also provides skills and knowledge. In remembering past events, I am able to use them as reference, and sometimes assurance. A personal example, somewhat juvenile, but also effective, is when my first pet died. I was devastated and wanted to just clear my mind of the event, but I didn’t. After time, I recovered, but maintained the memory of this horrible tragedy. Later in life, another pet died. I looked back to that memory as a guide and learned from it that in time I would be fine and to just hang on. In this situation, a memory served as a reference and catalyzed in my personal growth and recovery.
& x9 N8 b: l8 j4 @6 s4 @$ ~; HMemories, good or bad, assist people in obtaining success. Whether used as reference for guidance, or lessons on what not to do, past experiences can only offer a gap between the steps on the ladder of success. Forgetting the past can and will only erase experience and knowledge from a person and in affect hinder one in seeking achievement. In looking at historical repeats and personal events, it is clear that old memories can only aid in success.
Comments:
This essay effectively develops its point of view (Memories and past experiences serve as a rail, a guiding support, for people in an effort to succeed in the present) through the appropriate examples of dissent during wartime and grieving for a pet, thus demonstrating strong critical thinking. Well organized and focused, the essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas (In seeing the undemocratic ways of an earlier era, America was able to recognize the bad and try to reform it. If the Sedition Acts had been forgotten then what is to say that they wouldn’t come back? Remembering the failed times insures that improvement is possible). The essay also uses appropriate vocabulary and demonstrates effective variety in sentence structure. To earn a 6, this writer needs to achieve smoother progression of ideas by using language more skillfully (the phrase “past experiences can only offer a gap between the steps on the ladder of success” seems to express the opposite of what the writer intends). The essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery and receives a 5.
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8. Sometimes it is necessary to challenge what people in authority claim to be true. Although some respect for authority is, no doubt, necessary in order for any group or organization to function, questioning the people in charge-even if they are experts or leaders in their fields-makes us better thinkers. It forces all concerned to defend old ideas and decisions and to consider new ones. Sometimes it can even correct old errors in thought and put an end to wrong actions. 2006.10
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# V4 v- s1 {7 NAssignment: Is it important to question the ideas and decisions of people in positions of authority? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.

Sample Essay-Score of 6
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Every person has his or her own idea of ethics and morality, regardless of objective truth. Authority figures, whether teachers, heads of nations, or other positions of power, may not always be in line with that morality. In order to determine whether an authority figure is doing what is just, individuals must speak out when they perceive injustice. Oftentimes, that means questioning authority.
Dystopic novels often portray systems of national leadership in which questioning governmental authority is explicitly forbidden. George Orwell’s novel 1984 is such a story. The government is known collectively as "Big Brother," who is a symbolic entity continually watching over every citizen. The language, Newspeak, is constantly being updated to control people’s expression and thereby control their thoughts. Anyone caught even thinking something other than Big Brother would want them to think are arrested by the Thought Police. Under this regime, there are virtually no independent thinkers. Every piece of information given to the people comes through the government, which has the power to change facts and history with utter impunity. The main character, Winston, manages to catch on, but in the end, he is finally brainwashed by torture. In this society of obedient drones, truth is irrelevant because there are no lies.
When a student goes through formal education, he must be on his guard when it comes to what he absorbs. In the midst of objective facts, all too often a teacher may attempt to indoctrinate him with the teacher’s own ideology. One need only look at the majority of United States universities. There are thousands of easily-accessed articles exposing documented incidences of teachers boldly instilling in their students the liberal ideology. Universities are cesspools of leftist professors who punish students who express differences of opinion. Yet without those few questioning students, the rest of the student body would be subjected to unadulterated liberal lectures, with nary an opposing view in earshot. In order to form proper opinions, students must be exposed to both sides of an issue, and both sides must be questioned so as to ascertain the truth of each.
6 F5 f8 k* R8 S6 M7 \4 TLeaders of other countries must also be questioned by nonresidents so as to discover precisely what is happening under their authority.
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, l/ C! q/ w, F" G' S1 ^6 m" Z  DComments:
8 c3 [2 B( c. t+ ~This essay demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by effectively and insightfully developing a point of view (In order to determine whether an authority figure is doing what is just, individuals must speak out when they perceive injustice. Oftentimes, that means questioning authority), providing clearly appropriate reasons and examples from literature and current events as support. The essay is well organized and clearly focused on authorities who "indoctrinate" others, displaying clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas (Universities are cesspools of leftist professors who punish students who express differences of opinion. Yet without those few questioning students, the rest of the student body would be subjected to unadulterated liberal lectures, with nary an opposing view in earshot. In order to form proper opinions, students must be exposed to both sides of an issue, and both sides must be questioned so as to ascertain the truth of each). Using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary, the response exhibits skillful use of language, and there is meaningful variety in sentence structure throughout (Every piece of information given to the people comes through the government, which has the power to change facts and history with utter impunity). Demonstrating clear and consistent mastery, this essay receives a score of 6.
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9. Many people believe that our government should do more to solve our problems. After all, how can one individual create more jobs or make roads safer or improve the schools or help to provide any of the other benefits that we have come to enjoy? And yet expecting that the government—rather than individuals—should always come up with the solutions to society's ills may have made us less self-reliant, undermining our independence and self-sufficiency. 2007.01Assignment: Should people take more responsibility for solving problems that affect their communities or the nation in general? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.
- p! n& u- S9 M0 |& X" F2 @Sample Essay - Score of 6
Though America has suffered through times of massive economic distress where government intervention was necessary in maintaining the people’s spirit, America was founded by individuals at town meetings, behind their ploughs, or in peaceful petition. In today’s relatively stable society, people should feel empowered to make changes and solve problems because countless reforms began at the grassroots level. If people need inspiration or proof, they need only to look to the progressives or the Steimetz twins, who rid the beaches of cigarette butts with their activism.
5 a/ ~. p1 m* v; I5 nIn the early 1900’s, American government had been congealed into a state of corruption and inaction by the powerful lobbyists of the industries. In this Gilded Age, the disparity between rich and poor were astonishing—while Vanderbilt became a millionaire, millions of factory workers—mostly immigrants—lived in squalor and ate insalubrious food. At this same time, the progressive movement sought to rectify these injustices. Jane Addams, for example, started a settlement house for women workers, where she not only provided child care and financial support, but also campaigned for the abolition of child labor and the creation of laws to protect workers’ safety. The actions of hundreds of others like her eventually led to reforms in city government—the referendum, the city council ran by experts, not lobbyists, etc. All these reforms originated at the movement of the individual.
3 j# R6 _  w; X1 X  K0 v; xHowever, movement by individuals does not have to spread nationwide to be effective. In the state of Connecticut, two teenagers who passionately cared for the environment effected state laws to make littering of cigarette butts illegal on beaches. The teens began with simple cleanup campaigns with friends and family but realized that more action could—and should—be taken. Thence, they began to make trips to state legislature in addition to trips to the beach—instead of collecting butts, they rallied support. Eventually, a law was passed to make their sentiments permanent—however, the impetus started in the minds of two teenagers.
1 G7 C, n0 w( m6 L- s( pGovernment is powerful and well-intentioned, but the sordid mechanics of politics often obstruct problem solving. Individuals, however, are not so hampered. In a country where rights not enumerated (explicitly given to the federal government) are for the people, people should see individual action as a right AND responsibility.

Comments:
' x' m0 j7 G$ Z7 A  ^( T/ ?* FDemonstrating outstanding critical thinking, this essay effectively and insightfully develops a point of view (In a country where rights not enumerated . . . are for the people, people should see individual action as a right AND responsibility), using clearly appropriate examples from history and current events to support the position. Well organized and clearly focused as it discusses people who were “empowered to make changes and solve problems,” the response displays clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas (In the state of Connecticut, two teenagers who passionately cared for the environment effected state laws to make littering of cigarette butts illegal on beaches. . . . Eventually, a law was passed to make their sentiments permanent). The essay also exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary, and meaningful variety in sentence structure is evident (Government is powerful and well-intentioned, but the sordid mechanics of politics often obstruct problem solving). This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and receives a score of 6.
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10. Knowledge is power. In agriculture, medicine, and industry, for example, knowledge has liberated us from hunger, disease, and tedious labor. Today, however, our knowledge has become so powerful that it is beyond our control. We know how to do many things, but we do not know where, when, or even whether this know-how should be used. 2007.05Assignment: Can knowledge be a burden rather than a benefit? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observation.
Sample Essay - Score of 6
8 t, U0 o" K3 D/ ?- cKnowledge is power; it liberates us, enlightens us, allows us to grow and expand and better our conditions. Today, our knowledge of the world has grown immensely, and could be seen as “beyond our control”, and even a burden. However, history shows us that while great knowledge can sometimes be a heavy burden, it always has outweighing benefits.
History is rife with examples of knowledge being a burden, but ultimately proving to be beneficial. For instance, Galileo, a 17th century astronomer and scientist, was arguably the greatest contributor to science of our time. His diligent research of our Earth and solar system led to groundbreaking discoveries that, at the time, were extremely controversial. Galileo was the first scientist, and person, to question the Church’s statement that the Earth was the center of the solar system, and all other planets and the Sun revolved around it. He instead argued, and proved through research, that the Sun was the center of our galaxy, and Earth just another planet in its orbit. This knowledge was profound, enlightening, and powerful; it was also a great burden.
. b" R5 O4 R* c/ Z* M" \Galileo’s theory was met with disbelief, outrage, and violent opposition; it was an extreme burden to him. The Church was furious at Galileo for disproving its teachings because at the time, the Church’s word was law. Never before had its teachings been so scientifically and poignantly questioned. To think that the Earth was not the center around which all things revolved was a shocking and humbling fact that those so fervently set in their beliefs couldn’t accept. Galileo was immediately attacked and interrogated because of his powerful knowledge. He was declared a heretic, and excommunicated from the Church. Galileo was a very religious man; this social and spiritual ostracizing broke him completely. Even still, he knew that although his knowledge was a heavy and painful burden, it was true, and would later benefit generations of scientists to come. Today, attribute Galileo’s discoveries as some of the most important scientific findings of the common era.
Galileo’s story is a historical example of powerful knowledge being a burden, but ultimately having extremely positive benefits. If it were not for great minds constantly expanding our knowledge of the world, we would be a stagnant people, never moving forward and creating new and marvelous things. Knowledge truly is a tool that can change the world and although it may sometimes be inconvenient, it is the most powerful thing we have.

Comments:
Demonstrating outstanding critical thinking, this essay effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that “while great knowledge can sometimes be a heavy burden, it always has outweighing benefits.” Using the clearly appropriate extended example of “Galileo’s story,” the essay is well organized and clearly focused as it illustrates the importance of “great minds constantly expanding our knowledge . . . creating new and marvelous things.” The response displays clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas (Galileo’s theory was met with disbelief, outrage, and violent opposition; it was an extreme burden to him. . . . Even still, he knew that although his knowledge was a heavy and painful burden, it was true, and would later benefit generations of scientists to come). The essay also exhibits skillful use of language, using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary, and meaningful variety in sentence structure is evident (His diligent research of our Earth and solar system led to groundbreaking discoveries that, at the time, were extremely controversial). Demonstrating clear and consistent mastery, this essay merits a score of 6.

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11. Kaplan: Practice Test #1
“No one is contented in this world, I believe. There is always something left to desire, and the last thing longed for always seems the most necessary to happiness.”
--Marie Corelli, A Romance of Two Worlds
Assignment: Do you think that people are capable of finding happiness or are they always searching for something beyond what they have? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.Assignment: Do you think that people are capable of finding happiness or are they always searching for something beyond what they have? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Sample Essay
Happiness means different things to different people. My sister is happiest when she performs onstage in a play. My best friend is happiest when he’s pitching a perfect game on the baseball field. People find happiness in all sorts of ways, but that doesn’t mean they stop searching for something more. Finding happiness and continuing to pursue other goals are not mutually exclusive propositions. Instead, both of these activities can work together to motivate you, as I’ve learned from my own experience.
# ^4 F. d( i& ^  M/ n9 x0 M7 JWhen I was in middle school, my favorite class was art and I was disappointed that the class period was so short and only twice a week. Although I was happy during those times, I really missed art during the rest of the week. However, Knowing that art class was approaching helped motivate me to pay attention in the rest of my classes because I knew that my “reward” would soon follow. Once we were in the art room and I was immersed in painting or sculpting or drawing, I found incredible happiness in the creative process and carried this feeling with me throughout the remainder of the day. Yet I wasn’t Fully satisfied with this small amount of exposure and I wanted more. I could and did appreciate the happiness I had, but at the same time I was looking for something beyond that.
; H4 q! K( \, V9 c: QSo I begged my parents to let me take art classes after school and on the weekend. I managed to convince them I’d be happier if I could have this additional creative time, and I was right. Taking more and different art classes outside of school exposed me to a variety of different techniques and media that I never had time to explore in school, like metal-working, wood-carving, and print-making. I grew even more enthusiastic about the visual arts and found even more happiness than I could have imagined thanks to these additional classes. By wanting something more, I was able to find additional contentment and inspiration and I truly was happy with the results.
1 `$ ]! A+ q' K$ gYet I didn’t stop reaching for other goals. I really wanted to have my artwork displayed for the public, so I worked very hard for several years to develop a portfolio and I achieved my goal last year with my first solo show at a local gallery. This success gave me much happiness, and I’m already planning additional shows. Being content with my art makes me happy on a regular basis, but this doesn’t keep me from
  |# x( `: H7 O& |5 u" `wanting something more at the same time. For me, striving for additional goals adds to my happiness, so I don’t see the two actions as contradictory at all. Instead, searching for something beyond what you have can help you to appreciate and enhance whatever it is that makes you truly happy.
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12. Kaplan: Practice Test #2
“Champions aren’t made in gyms. Champions are made from something they have
6 O9 D, v3 g2 _" }% x% ~' ddeep inside them: A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have last-minute stamina,
* E* |5 r* Y; r+ o. nthey have to be a little faster, they have to have the skill and the will. But the will bust be stronger than the skill.”
--Muhammad Ali
) ~- j, a- v* b6 a% A8 yAssignment: If you want to become an expert in a certain field, do you need to have more talent or more motivation? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
Sample Essay

% p# V+ f' ~% M( z' DTo me, being an expert means being successful, and achieving success requires lots of hard work, time, and practice. This is true regardless of what you pursue, from running to drawing, acting to skating, teaching to dancing. Yet expertise and success don’t come from skill alone. To truly succeed, you need to have at least as much motivation as talent, because if you don’t possess the desire to do something, your talent may simply wither from neglect, and people who prove this to be the case include Jewel and my sister.

Pop singer Jewel has a critically acclaimed voice and song-writing skills. She’s won awards for her songs and succeeded in the music business. Yet she didn’t achieve fame and fortune simply with her talent. Instead, she struggled and worked incredibly hard for many years before she ever found success. In fact, at one point she was living in her car because she didn’t have enough money to support herself, but she never gave up or stopped believing in her dream to play guitar and sing. Jewel’s strong motivation and drive finally paid off when she was “discovered” by a music producer and recorded albums and recorded albums that showed off her talent and sold well to the general public, making her a successful expert in her field.
My sister is a contrast to Jewel’s effective combination of talent and motivation. When she was little, my sister showed natural talent as a dancer, and parents enrolled her in classes to develop her talent. My sister, however, didn’t care about dancing, so she never practiced or put any effort into her classes. Eventually, my parents realized that they were wasting their money to pay for her training because even though she had talent she didn’t possess the motivation to support her talent. My sister’s lack of will meant that her talent became useless, because she needed to work to transform her talent into true skill and expertise in order to achieve success, but she didn’t have the motivation to follow through with this.
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4 h7 y5 h8 O9 o* [/ E7 Q8 SBy looking at the contrasting examples of Jewel and my sister, both with natural talent but only one with the matching will to succeed, you can see that motivation is the critical factor for success or expertise in a field. You can only really make full use of your talent if you have the will to succeed.
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13. Kaplan: Practice Test #3
0 t) Y5 z2 D6 F5 f“I am more and more convinced that our happiness or unhappiness depends far more on the way we meet the events of life, than on the nature of those events themselves.”
+ o& n/ `7 W# o0 Y+ D: c" l--Wilhelm von Humboldt
7 R3 g5 ]3 T8 M% j1 eAssignment: Which do you think contributes more to personal happiness: what happens to you or the way you respond to what happens? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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Sample Essay

- Z  l3 g' B1 g. R: t4 V# O. e, QThere’s a common saying usually applied to sports: “It’s not whether you win or lose, it’s how you play the game.” This saying, however, can easily be applied to how we live and whether or not we are able to achieve personal happiness. As the Humboldt quotation suggests, it’s not the the events that occur in our lives but rather the way we react to these events that most affects our happiness. Excellent representations of this can be found in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” where characters respond differently to the same situation and gain varying levels of happiness because of their respective reactions.

Gertrude, for example, responds to the death of her husband, the King, by remarrying shortly after his death. Rather than dwelling on her new role as widow and the accompanying sorrow and misfortune that have fallen upon her, she chooses to react by quickly recovering and aligning herself with her for mer brother-in-law. Given her situation, this is a very intelligent and rational decision, for it provides her with the security of a strong marriage as well as a continued high status as queen, since Claudius has now ascended to the throne. All of these positive attributes make Gertrude happy even though she continues to mourn and miss her dead husband. In this way, Gertrude pursues and achieves her own personal happiness by reacting positively to a negative event rather than letting that event destroy her.

In contrast, Hamlet reacts to his father’s death by obsessing about what happened and by brooding over his mother’s remarriage. Because of his vision of the ghost, Hamlet begins to believe that his father was murdered, but instead of acting decisively on this information and confronting his uncle directly, Hamlet ponders his vision and sink deeper and deeper into his sorrow and depression. Allowing himself to be heavily influenced by everything that is happening around him, Hamlet eventually succumbs to his despair and dies along with several other characters in the final scene of the play. Hamlet is a prime example of someone who lets his happiness be ruled by outside forces rather than choosing how to react to events to exert some control over his own emotional state of mind.
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Although Gertrude and Hamlet are fictional characters, the way Shakespeare portrays them is representative of real human behavior. Many people let themselves be influenced by what happens to them, like Hamlet, and these people have difficulty finding happiness. On the other hand, some people, like Gertrude, react in a more positive way to any event that occurs and thus achieve a certain level of personal happiness regardless of what happens. This contrast proves that our reaction to events rather than the events themselves is the critical factor for achieving happiness.
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14. Kaplan: Practice Test #4
“Never do today what you can do tomorrow. Something may occur to make you regret your premature action.”
--Aaron Burr
Assignment: Do you agree with Aaron Burr that it’s wisest to put things off if you can? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
6 o) f0 G3 H' D3 `7 m) e& tSample Essay
My mother used to say that “procrastination” was my middle name, because I continually put off doing chores or homework until the last minute. I preferred to spend my time playing or reading, as these activities were more interesting and fun. However, leaving responsibilities unfulfilled right up to the deadline meant that I always felt very rushed and stressed when I finally got around to doing what I should have done earlier. I also discovered that I didn’t always leave myself enough time. Sometimes I wasn’t able to finish, and incomplete projects led to negative consequences, like bad grades or additional chores. Ultimately, I learned that it’s not wise to put things off. So I disagree with Aaron Burr’s statement, and one of the best literary examples to support my point of view is Shakespeare's Hamlet.
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Hamlet is often referred to as the classic procrastinator, since he spends almost the entire play debating with himself about how or if to avenge his father’s death. In the first scene, his father’s ghost appears to Hamlet and implies that the new king, Claudius, may be a murderer. Hamlet is extremely upset about this, and determines to investigate the situation to learn if the ghost has told the truth or not. However, even when Hamlet is convinced of Claudius’ guilt, he can’t seem to take action and kill Claudius, despite having several opportunities during the course of the play. By continuing to procrastinate, Hamlet involves other characters in his plot, and several of them lose their lives, including Polonius, Ophelia, and Laertes. If Hamlet had taken action sooner, these other characters might not have died. Hamlet’s procrastination, then, has mortal consequences.
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& s' n7 X1 T' u) kTaking action in the moment tends to result in fewer regrets compared to endlessly procrastinating, as the example of Hamlet proves. For this reason, it’s wisest to act when you can rather than putting things off.

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15. Kaplan: Practice Test #5
“Things do not change, we change.”
) _, e- N* f$ y6 Z* ^( B--Henry David Thoreau, Walden

- q3 x/ f# W9 Y( IAssignment: Do we ourselves cause change in our lives by making certain decisions, or are we acted upon by events that happen around us? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
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Sample Essay
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After the attacks on the World Trade center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, my life and the lives of many people around the world changed. Although our lives were acted upon, and in many cases, destroyed by something we did not expect, we had a bigger say in how our lives were changed by it. This event showed me that  we are changed by our own decisions in life.

My family was supposed to go on a vacation to Florida three months after September 11. However, my parents were worried that our family might not be safe on an airplane, so we cancelled our trip. We made the decision not to go and missed out on some fun and warmer weather, but we believed we were safer by not traveling. We did not go on the trip due to our own choice.

: E7 U$ Y( t2 K/ ~3 P! NAnother thing happened after September 11 that affected our family. My father, who used to work on Wall Street, lost his job, along with many others in his department. Losing his job meant my dad had to find something else so that he could keep paying the bills.
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Although he had unemployment insurance for a number of months, he decided to check out the New York Teaching Fellow program. Now four years later, my dad loves his job as a high school teacher. Losing his job happened to him without his consent, but in the way he handled this event, he found a more satisfying position than his job on Wall Street. My father’s experiences showed me how to do the best you can with your circumstances.
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Since the events of September 11, I have become more aware of how big or even small things can that are out of my control and can cause a change in my life. However, I have realized that although my life can be changed by outside events, I can use my decision-making power to make changes for myself.