ANNOTATIONS: This paper, which demonstrates clarity, depth of analysis, and a recognition of the complexity of the issue, is thoroughly developed with relevant and specific historical examples. The writing is noteworthy as well, showing a superior command of language, particularly in terms of syntactic variety. Considering the time limitations of the test, which do not allow for much proofreading or editing, the fluency is remarkable. Few errors in sentence structure, grammar, or mechanics occur in the paper. The paper begins with a simple restatement: "History is an integral part of the learning process." This sentence announces the writer's central idea but, at the same time, allows for the possibility that history cannot teach us everything we need to know. This subtle but clearly stated proposition prepares the reader for a series of related examples that serve as illustrations of the writer's themes and ideas. The first examples are of the Gulf War and the Civil Rights movement. The writer uses the Gulf War to demonstrate how the United States has applied the lessons of Vietnam (establishing that we can learn from our past mistakes) to a contemporary problem of international relations. Then the writer supplies a parallel example of a domestic problem, suggesting that individual behavior during the Los Angeles riots was the result of lessons learned from the Civil Rights movement. The writer notes that "people did not want to repeat the horrifying events of the past." These two well-developed examples explain the meaning of the topic and expand on the idea offered in the introduction ("By studying events of the past, we can analyze the repercussions of certain behavior and action patterns"). In the next paragraph, the writer observes that "some problems exist today that are totally independent of any historical event." For an example, the writer chooses to discuss the issue of AIDS, in particular the related issues of "prevention, treatment, and the search for its cure." The writer grants that researchers have attempted to use their understanding of the past to find successful cures and treatment, but the disease "seems to have bypassed every known strategy used before in defeating a virus." This leads the writer, quite logically, to consider the question suggested by the third writing task: "When, then, is the past crucial to our understanding of current events?" The writer's conclusion, which is consistent with the ideas expressed in the opening paragraph of the paper, is that "history is crucial to understand" because it can supply "clues to our future, and help us solve certain problems." The writer stresses the importance of learning from the past while, at the same time, recognizing that an understanding of the past cannot guide us to the solution of all current problems. The specific criterion the writer presents is that we can solve problems that have issues with "some common thread." especially those involving human behavior (and the writer returns to the issue of tension between the races, commenting that "commonalities stem from common catalysts for anger and feelings of injustice and equality"). Throughout this final paragraph, the writer returns to the paper's main idea and previous examples. This unifies the essay structurally and thematically. This comprehensive and well-documented paper is impressive in its scope and ambition. The command of language, combined with a successful organization plan, results in a sustained, clear, and effective paper.