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Sample Essays
5.1 Official Sample Essays for Questions on Official Guide Practice Tests
What motivates people to change? (05 OG Practice 1) What motivates people to change is a relentless and innate desire for self-improvement. Rarely ever has history seen a man or society kick back, relax, and say Well that about does it. Not much else to do here! Within every person is the potential to achieve greatness in some form, be it athletically, mentally, and spiritually. This inherent potential demands that people continue to explore and change both their environments and themselves throughout their lifes course. Never should a man be idle for too long. After acknowledging the changes a man has already made to his environment, the pursuit of self-improvement will once again stir within his soul and call him to action. This internal desire, this pursuit of challenge and perfection, does not prohibit man from being happy with his status and achievements. On the contrary, the device serves more to allow the man to constantly strive for greater change, newer innovation. What motivates people to change is the ongoing need to redefine peoples lives and identities to elevate them to higher levels of eminence and success. A good example of this can be seen in clinical psychology. When patients seek therapy for difficulties that have encumbered their daily functioning, they most often arrive for treatment voluntarily and willingly- they consciously accept the necessity of therapy and so participate without any duress. During the course of clinical therapy, the patients concerns, anxieties, ideas, emotions, and fears are brought to light. However, the clinician does not try to alter the beliefs, feeling, and sentiments of his client; rather, he simply illuminates them in order to provide the patient with an accurate view of himself. The process, of raising concerns and ideas to the surface of conscious awareness, is known as clarification. Modern psychology is a far throw from the psychoanalysis of Freuds time, in which psychologists attempted to interpret pre-and unconscious feelings that had been repressed by the patient. Because clinicians only clarify, and not dissect, alter, or interpret a clients inner desires and emotions, the client himself is responsible for instituting change. If he is to change, he must dictate the course of therapy, and make the conscious choice to improve himself. This widely used approach is called client centered therapy. If the clients ennui or ill feelings are due to situational factors or internal designs (as oppose to biological changes that would qualify for a diagnosis of psychopathology (mental disorder)), he must change them on his own accord to precipitate change within himself. The therapist will not cure him in any way. He alone must answer the call within himself to refine and redefine his identity and place in society. This need, of self-improvement, also initially brought him to the therapist. He was able to recognize the disorder of his environment and acknowledge his own negative feelings. This in turn brought him to therapy, where he was guided through a process of introspection that ultimately enabled him to improve himself, assuage his anxieties, and rightfully continue on his lifelong pursuit of even greater achievements. (505)

Score Explanation
This outstanding essay effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that What motivates people to change is the ongoing need to redefine peoples lives and identities to elevate them to higher levels of eminence and success. The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by clearly focusing on client centered therapy to support this position. The writer begins by explaining that When patients seek therapy for difficulties that have encumbered their daily functioning, they most often arrive for treatment voluntarily and willingly. The writer then describes the process of therapy and shows how, if the client is to change, he must dictate the course of therapy, and make the conscious choice to improve himself. The writer concludes with the idea that therapy is a tool for someone who wishes to change, and while the therapist will not cure a client, the introspection encouraged by the therapist can refine and redefine the clients identity and place in society. The essay is well organized, demonstrating clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas. Throughout the essay, the writer exhibits the skillful use of language by using a varied, accurate, and apt vocabulary (During the course of clinical therapy, the patients concerns, anxieties, ideas, emotions, and fears are brought to light. However, the clinician does not try to alter the beliefs, feelings, and sentiments of his client; rather, he simply illuminates them in order to provide the patient with an accurate view of himself. This process, of raising concerns and ideas to the surface of conscious awareness, is known as clarification). This response demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and receives a score of 6.

PT4: Do changes that make our lives easier not necessarily make them better?

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 todays society. Consider, if you will, ancient Greecian 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. Now let us examine some men from our time. Bill Gates, while adding immensely to the pleasures and ease of mans 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. 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 mans 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. (408) Score Explanation
This outstanding essay insightfully and effectively develops the point of view that What makes our lives easier does not necessarily make them better. The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by focusing on clearly appropriate examples throughout history to support the idea that not all of mankinds advancements to make life easier have been beneficial. The essay begins by describing the ancient scholars who, without the technology and ease of life we have today, were able to produce some of the most prolific additions to human knowledge ever. The writer continues by offering the idea that today, due to the incredible advancements in technology, Very very few men . . . are leaders in more than one discipline. The essay concludes with t he idea that, due to the distractions and ease of a technologically advanced society, Man has become less productive and less devoted. This well organized and clearly focused essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas. The essay consistently exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure (Bill Gates, while adding immensely to the pleasures and ease of mans life, did so only by forcefully destroying many fledgling companies and completely undermining our capitalistic marketplace. Very very few men in our time are leaders in more than one discipline). This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and is scored 6.

PT5: Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power?

As 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. Ones sense of right and wrong forever impels one to be a decent, thoughtful person. Such 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 Twains 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 ones 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. Although 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. 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. There 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. (403)

Score Explanation
This response demonstrates clear and consistent mastery. The writer effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that "the human conscience will limit the motivation of greed and inspire good works for the sake of morality." By focusing on fictional, historical, and personal examples of conscience as a compelling force, the writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking. The first example is the fictional character of Huckleberry Finn, whose "loyalty, a facet of one's conscience, compels him to sacrifice his safety to ensure the well-being of others." The writer then moves to the historical figure Lyndon B. Johnson, who "pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress motivated by conscience and a desire to correct the immorality of racism in society." Finally, the writer offers the personal example of declining "more weighty positions on the newspaper . . . when there was someone better qualified." This essay organizes these clearly appropriate examples well, demonstrating clear coherence and a smooth progression of ideas. The essay exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure ("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"). Thus, this outstanding essay receives a score of 6.

PT6: Can success be disastrous?

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. 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 Shakespeares 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 Lears good daughter, Cordelia) returns to England. Success is hazardous when awarded to the unvirtuous. 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 ones 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. (431) Score Explanation
This essay demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by insightfully developing the point of view that, while "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," there are also "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." The essay effectively supports this position by first focusing on multiple clearly appropriate examples from history and literature of "success used wrongfully in the hands of the unworthy." By describing corrupt or abusive actions of Nero, Henry

VIII, "Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain," and the fictional daughters of King Lear in Shakespeares play. The essay develops the idea that a historical pattern exists in which, after successfully "gaining leadership," "Powerful leadershave then used their influence wrongfully in achieving their own selfish (and sometimes twisted) goals." The essay easily moves to discuss how success can be disastrous for "those who are not necessarily evil or greedy in their pursuits, but merely do not know how to handle success," and therefore "sabotage" their success to return to a "former comfort zone." Finally, the essay supports the writer's own definition of success, with the appropriate words of Ralph Waldo Emerson ("To know that one person has breathed easier because you have lived--this is to have succeeded"). This well-organized and clearly focused essay demonstrates coherence and smooth progression of ideas. The essay consistently demonstrates skillful use of language ("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 essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and achieves the highest score.

PT7: Do we need other people in order to understand ourselves?

Most parents and teachers tell students the extremely tired clich 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. An excellent example of a literary character who could have psychologically benefitted from social interaction is J. Alfred Prufrock from T.S. Eliots 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 Prufrocks talents to him, it is true that we need others in order to understand ourselves. The lesson of learning from others 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 friends comments certainly made him seem that way. The fact that we need others in order to understand ourselves is clearly shown by this boys revelation. (389)

Score Explanation
This outstanding essay effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that In at least some respects, we need other people in order to understand ourselves. The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by focusing on the differing examples of J. Alfred Prufrock and a peer from the writers own class to support this position. The essay first describes how, by not allowing himself to interact with women, Prufrock denies himself the approval necessary to reveal Prufrocks talents to him. Next, the writer contrasts this with the shock a classmate feels after reading how his classmates describe him. Both of these clearly appropriate examples reinforce the writers position. This essay is well organized, focusing first on the character from Eliots poem and then smoothly shifting focus to the personal example of the writers peer. The strength of organization and focus allow this essay to demonstrate a depth of development, clear coherence, and smooth progression of ideas. The essay exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure (An excellent example of a literary character who could have psychologically benefitted from social interaction is J. Alfred Prufrock from T.S. Eliots 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). Demonstrating clear and consistent mastery, this essay receives the highest score of 6.

PT8: Is the world changing for the better?

Reactions to World Wars one and two in expressed by the artistic community and historically do not support the idea that the world is changing for the better. One example of the negative effects of World War two psychologically may be taken from Leslie Marmon Silkos novel Ceremony. The novels protagonist, Tayo, a young Native American veteran living on a reservation, returns from his war experience severely mentally damaged, referring to himself at one point as white smoke. The novel expresses several t imes that Tayo is only one case of many damaged young Native Americans who return from this war. Elders of the Laguna Native American tribe express distress at the fact that they will not be able to heal their returning World War two warriors with traditional war healing ceremonies, and Tayo believes this is because warfare has changed dramatically. The tribe, losing many members to the war physically and psychologically, suffers weakening blows. It is clear that the difference between old warfare in which warriors could face their enemies and new warfare in which soldiers shoot blindly across distances is great. The destruction of modern warfare witnessed by the new veterans was devastating in a ruinous way as it never had been. The resulting threat of the disintegration of the tribe as old healing techniques fail weakens the tribe in ways it had never been weakened before. A similar mental disintegration, tied in with a lack of optimism was seen a great deal following World War one. Before the war, old Enlightenment ideas of rational thought, progress, and the goodness of mankind abounded. The incredible and unprecedented destruction seen in World War one, however, combined with the psychological effect of the use of the newest mass-destruction and chemical weapons proved to quash the pre-war

sentiment of optimism and post-Enlightenment zeal. New weapons such as mustard gas and machine guns could kill thousands in unspeakably brutal ways, and the casualties of the war, greater than any in history, showed the weapons to be very effective. The loss of human life in hundreds of thousands, combined with the destruction of European land at the end of World War one proved to crush the morale of the European populace and to discourage optimism with regard to scientific progress; scientific progress had only served to cause destruction and horror in war. The negative psychological repercussions of World War one and two served to give people, particulary Europeans, a less optimistic view of the world and of mankind. The change in weaponry and style of warfare, visible in the example of Silkos Ceremony, contribute to the idea that the world was not changing for the better; the new warriors of Ceremony could not be healed, and the optimistic, naive vision of pre-world war two Europe could not be restored. If man could cause such immense physical and psychological destruction with the products of scientific change, the world could not have changed for the better. (492)

Score Explanation
This outstanding essay insightfully and effectively develops the point of view that If man could cause such immense physical and psychological destruction with the products of scientific change, the world could not have changed for the better. The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by focusing on clearly appropriate evidence from literature and history to support this position. The essay begins by describing Leslie Marmon Silko's Ceremony as a novel in which the "protagonist, Tayo, a young native american veteran," becomes representative of the "many damaged young native americans" who returned from World War II. Traumatized by the "new warfare in which soldiers shoot blindly across distances," these former soldiers pose a threat of "disintegration of the tribe as old healing techniques fail." Next, the response discusses "A similar mental disintegration, tied in with a lack of optimism" in Europe following World War I, as "old Enlightenment ideas of rational thought, progress, and the goodness of mankind" were challenged by "New weapons such as mustard gas and machine guns" that "could kill thousands in unspeakably brutal ways" and therefore "crush the morale of the European populace and discourage optimism with regard to scientific progress ." This well-organized and clearly focused essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas. Several capitalization errors are offset by the essay's consistently skillful use of language and meaningful variety in sentence structure ("The change in weaponry and style of warfare, visible in the example of Silko's Ceremony, contribute to the the idea that the world was not changing for the better; the new warriors of Ceremony could not be healed, and the optimistic, naive vision of pre-world war two Europe could not be restored"). This, this essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and is scored 6.

PT9: Do you think that ease does not challenge us and that we need adversity to help us discover who we are? Everyone 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. In 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 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 werent as inspired to really let the public know about his 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 was 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. The book, Where the heart is by Billie Letts also used adversity to portray its 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-Mark all by herself, while she was pregnant. All alone, Novalle had to find a way to keep herself and her baby alive. Along the way, through adversity, Novalle 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 live 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 Novalle 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. (502)

PT10: Should heroes be defined as people who say what they think when we ourselves lack the courage to say it?

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 what the 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. 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 Garrisons 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 Toms 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 Souths peculiar institution. Rudyard 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 the 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 believe 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. (422)

5.2 Official Sample Essays for Questions on College Board Sample Tests

Test 1
Assignment: Are people motivated to achieve by personal satisfaction rather than by money or fame?
Even though we live in a capitalist society, I still cannot help but believe, despite my own cynicism, that people are more motivated to achieve something for personal satisfaction rather than monetary gains. Look at Chekov's short story, The Bet. A man agrees to sacrifice fifteen years of his life in prison in exchange for a million dollars. Obviously his motivation for such an extreme bet is wealth, but by the end of the prison sentence, the man could care less about the money. After years of introspection, of reading Shakespeare, The Bible, and textbooks, the man actually comes to despise the money he once sought; the money he signed away fifteen years of his life for. He does not collect his money from the banker, he runs away to be on his own and continue to live the life of solitude he has learned to love, free of money and possessions. Also, in a psychology class, one of the first things students study when they come to the topic of motivation, is external stimulus versus personal drive. Any textbook will tell one that studies show that a child is more likely to put as much energy as possible into completing a task when it is something that makes him happy, than if he was doing it for a physical reward. A child is more likely to get good grades, if it makes him feel good about himself, than if his parents offer to pay him every time he makes the honor roll. I agree with this theory on motivation because I see it play out everyday in my life. If my older sister had been concerned with money and fame, which reality television tells us every night is important, she would have gone to college after graduating high school. She knew though, that school and learning did not make her happy, and she was not going to suffer through four more years of school just because a college degree could lead to a more successful job. Right now she does not make as much money at her job, but she likes her life and the way she lives; she has more fun answering phones and dealing with other people at work than she would behind a desk in a classroom. This past year I myself have been forced to look at my priorities as well. I have worked hard in school all my life and have made honor roll semester after semester, because I enjoy it. I have not filled up my schedule with classes I did not want because calculus and economics look good on a college transcript. I had a high enough GPA to join the National Honor Society, but I chose not to join because even though it might have impressed some admissions officers, it was not something that was going to make me happy. Instead I spend my time studying Creative Writing, Art History, and the other subjects I feel truly passionate about. There is a pleasure principle in psychology, which basically means that one will do whatever will make them most happy or least unhappy. I think that is true, and I feel that the happiness most people seek out is not about money or luxury. Maybe it looks like that from the media, because advertising says that people want to be like Donald Trump, but that is not real life. Real life is my next door neighbor who gardens as a second job for small fees because he loves to be outside, working with his hands in the nice weather. I am sure no one would mind winning the lottery, but to say that it is our primary

motivator in life is sad and untrue. A person who is happy and making minimum wage is likely to live longer than someone who spends his or her life working sixty four hour weeks at a stressful job to make money hand over fist. Are some people very driven by money? Yes. Is that more important than the personal satisfaction that comes from doing something good? Literature, psychology, and our personal lives tell us no, and I hope it stays that way. (697)

Score Explanation
This outstanding essay insightfully and effectively develops the point of view that, People are more motivated to achieve something for personal satisfaction rather than monetary gains. The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by focusing on clearly appropriate examples from Literature, psychology, and our personal lives to support this position. The essay begins by describing Chekhovs The Bet as a short story that, through its main characters changed priorities after years of introspection in prison, ultimately places higher value on a life of solitude. . . . free of money and possessions than on wealth. The writer continues to demonstrate outstanding critical thinking by offering as evidence the psychological principle of external stimulus versus personal drive and several examples of how this principle has been borne out in a sisters and the writers own lives. The essay concludes by once again drawing on psychology, this time the concept of the pleasure principle, to reinforce the idea that the happiness most people seek out is not about money or luxury but lies in the personal satisfaction that comes from doing something good. This well -organized and clearly focused essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas. The essay consistently exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure (After years of introspection, of reading Shakespeare, The Bible, and textbooks, the man actually comes to despise the money he once sought; the money he signed away fifteen years of his life for). Thus, this essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and receives a score of 6.

Test 2
Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present? 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. 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. Perservering, 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. 372

Score Explanation
This 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.

6
Memories act as both a help and a hinderance 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. Elie 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.

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 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. 353

Score Explanation This 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.

Test 3 Assignment: Is creativity needed more than ever in the world today?
6
While I do not dispute that creativity is always necessary, I do not believe that it is needed anymore in todays world than it ever has been. Todays world certainly faces its share of problems. Most major world powers face the ever-present threat of terrorism, the American economy is struggling to fight out of a recession, and Russia is locked in an often bloody war with Chechnya rebels. These problems, as well as others of pressing importance in todays world (i.e. the rebuilding of Iraq and containment of nuclear arms proliferation) must be solved creatively. However, creativity has always been needed to solve mankinds problems. The first human beings had to be creative when fashioning the crude weapons that they used to hunt. Farmers in Mesopotamia had to be creative when developing irrigation systems. During the Great Depression, Secretary of State Cordell Hull used creativity to craft reciprocal trade agreements, which helped improve the world economy. Human creativity has always been essential to our world, and that is no different today.

In fact, I disagree with Mr. Csikszentmihalys assessment that human creativity is on the decline. Slightly more than 35 years ago, we put a man on the moon. Shortly thereafter the first personal computer was put on the market; in fact, the computer industry is an excellent example of human creativity at work. I expect, however, that Mr. Csikszentmihaly would dismiss that example as an immediate practical application. However, the State of California and many private entities are exploring stem cells and their potential to cure disease. The federal government has explored a Star Wars missile defense shield. Neither of these endeavors presents any immediate benefits. In the arts, recent painters include Pablo Picasso and Rufino Tamayo, two masters. The Beatles revolutionized music, and Luciano Pavarotti is arguably one of the best singers ever. Given mankinds recent creative accomplishment, I do not believe that creativity is on the decline, and given the abundant examples of mankinds need for creativity in the past, I do not believe that it is any more necessary today than it was 50, 100, or 1000 years ago. (353)

Score Explanation This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery in insightfully and effectively disputing the prompt's claims about creativity ("Given mankind's recent creative accomplishments, I do not believe that creativity is on the decline, and given the abundant examples of mankind's need for creativity in the past, I do not believe that it is any more necessary today than it was 50, 100, or 1000 years ago"). The essay shows outstanding critical thinking in its well organized and focused presentation of clearly appropriate evidence ("However, creativity has always been needed to solve mankind's problems. The first human beings had to be creative when fashioning the crude weapons that they used to hunt. Farmers in Mesopotamia had to be creative when developing irrigation systems"). The essay also exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure ("These problems, as well as others of pressing importance in today's world (i.e. the rebuilding of Iraq and containment of nuclear arms proliferation) must be solved creativelyDuring the Great Depression, Cordell Hull used creativity to craft reciprocal trade agreements"). This outstanding essay earns a score of 6.

6
In a world where economic prosperity and getting ahead in work and technology are highly valued, creativity and the arts are often shunted in favor of more practical pursuits. Students abandon dreams of acting or painting in order to major in medicine, computer technology, or engineering: highly profitable and scientific fields. Even with the advances in these fields, however, there is still a need for creativity in our world, because seeing things in a new way can make all the difference. Today, more and more public schools are forced to abandon their arts programs to make time for subjects like science and math: subjects in which all students must have a basic knowledge in order to succeed in higher education. However, by leaving these programs behind, children are deprived of the creative stimulation that the arts provide, and are taught to view the world in

black and white terms: one right answer to every problem. With a view such as this, how will children perform in the future? It may be assumed that all people will see things the same way, and propose only one solution to a problem, failing to see the bigger picture. Creativity has obviously influenced earlier generations in a positive way, so there is no need to eliminate creativity from our world. What would have happened if Franklin Roosevelt had never proposed his New Deal? The Great Depression might have persisted for some time, robbing even more families of their chance at prosperity and happiness. However, by proposing a new, creative solution for the problem of the U.S.s depression, FDR pulled the nation out of its slump. Another example of how creativity has positively influenced the world happened just recently, with the introduction of hybrid cars. These new cars do not rely on as much oil as other cars do in order to operate, using alternative energy sources instead. Without the creative minds behind the invention of these cars, the world would rely so much on its limited oil reserves that fuel would eventually run out. Because of creativity, the world has a chance to find other energy sources. Though these practical applications for creativity are conducive to everyone, the common man benefits even more from the stimulation that the arts provide. In a world dominated by political powers and torn apart by war, entertainers in the arts can inspire hope and change in everyone. A child watching a Charlie Chaplin film might decide to join the gymnastics team, or a woman observing a Monet painting in a museum might become an elementary school art teacher: who knows? The arts can transport people to other places, into different ways of thinking. The importance of creativity in the world today is enormous, for it has both pragmatic and important applications. Creativity is both a source for inspiration and a problem-solving method, and without it, our world would greatly suffer. (482)

Score Explanation This essay effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that creativity "is both a source for inspiration and a problem-solving method, and without it, our world would greatly suffer." The writer uses outstanding critical thinking and clearly appropriate evidence to show that creativity's benefits are both practical (the New Deal, hybrid cars) and intangible (students inspired by the arts). Well organized and focused, the essay shows clear coherence and smooth progression of ideas ("Without the creative minds behind the invention of these cars, the world would rely so much on its limited oil reserves that fuel would eventually run out. Because of creativity, the world has a chance to find other energy sources. Though these practical applications for creativity are conducive to everyone, the common man benefits even more from the stimulation that the arts provide"). It also consistently displays skillful use of language and meaningful variety in sentence structure ("However, by leaving these programs behind, children are deprived of the creative stimulation that the arts provide, and are taught to view the world in "black and white" terms: one right answer to every problem. With a view such as this, how will children perform in the future?"). This outstanding essay receives the highest score of 6.

5.3 High-level Students-produced Essays Nov. 2011 Score: 12-A

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below: It is often observed that some sense of unease or dissatisfaction with oneself or one's circumstances, some self criticism, is absolutely necessary for people to move forward and make any kind of progress or change. But optimism--a feeling of confidence that one's actions will be successful and will pay off in the future--is even more important. If people are not optimistic, what motivation will they have to change?

ASSIGNMENT: Are optimistic, confident people more likely than others to make changes in
their lives?

Nov. 2011

Score: 12-B

Oct. 2011

Score: 10

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below: Although most of us do not like being criticized, it is said that we can always benefit from being told what we are doing wrong. We may lose a valuable learning opportunity if we do not listen to the criticisms expressed by others. Yet criticism, even when honest and well-intended, can be more harmful than helpful. We have more to gain by ignoring or shielding ourselves from the criticisms of others. ASSIGNMENT: Are people better off if they do not listen to criticism?

Is there always another explanation or another point of view

For those people who frequently maintain that there is always a final and perfect answer in every aspect in ones life, the world may be full of perfection and polarisability. However, it is universally acknowledged that we are living in a world of variety, development, as well as paradoxes (contradictions). There is, undeniably, another way of viewing and being. Though the majority claims that they are aware of the worlds consistent development, they seldom really consider it in their daily lives. As a high school student, I used to take it for granted that academic excellence, which has been stressed among all the schools and parents, is the most important aspects of my life. There was a time when I believed that perfect scores and laud from my teachers are surely my final goals and destination. However, this belief altered as time went by. I finally realize that studying is never the only answer to seed in my school life. Those experience as a part in student council, basketball team and science group has taught me that the understanding of teams work, the developing of interest and the evaluating of my soul are of much more crucial importance. The development and variety of my ordinary life has reminded me that the fulfilling of dreams and life is never that simple. For there will always be another dreams to chase, another field to accomplish. Additionally, it is not only in our daily life can we find the existence of however. In the mysterious process of sciences development, the significant nature of paradox (contradiction) also presents us the truth. As for the nature of light, in the eighteenth century, Huygens asserted that light must be a kind of wave, as it was later confirmed by the double-slits experiment. However, at the end of nineteenth century, Albert Einstein maintained that light behaves like particles too, an undeniable fact proved by the photo-electrical effect. Which theory is to be the correct one? Scientists have been arguing over the question for centuries, and only in the recent decades had it turned out that both theories, no matter how they seemed to contradict with each other, are of undebatable correctness, for they serve as both explanations of light in its differently observed condition. That is what we called paradox (contradiction). Not individually, same situations not only occur in the aspect of science today, like the present debate over String or Quantum theory, but also proved to be the nature of our lives. Ironically, there has to be compromised among totally different and contradicted scientific theories, while some of us endlessly assert that the only and perfect solution still exists. Can we really convince ourselves of this absolute and dogmatic way of thinking, regardless what has been continuously attested in science and life? Admittedly, we are always on the pursuit of a final answer, a perfect solution, which makes us who we are and spurs us to gain a better future. However, never should we take this pure land for granted and attempt to practice it in our way of thinking and being. To ignore the variety,

development and contradiction which display the nature of our universe is never a wise and desirable choice. (540)

Is the opinion of the majority in government or in any other circumstances a poor guide-1
It has been increasingly difficult to ignore the top dispute on the credibility of public voices. In government, is the decision-maker likely to be those politicians and governmental experts or publics? The statement that the opinion of majority in government or in any other circumstance is a poor guide suffers serious drawbacks although to some extent it sounds reasonable because the speaker pays little attention to the side effects and limitations what the experts' ruling brought to us. My standpoint will be augmented from the political view as follows: Admittedly, it is wiser for a government to lie part of the authority on those political leaders. Nevertheless, the total granting authority to those politicians is entirely possible to cause an inappropriate use of it, such like tyrannical governments. Consequently, it is greatly detrimental to the whole society instead of benefits. Therefore, the country must provide a group of public to participant the political decision making in search of both truly democratic and the supervision to those experts when they are granted with much authority in hand. The example of Roosevelt shows us the key to understand an effective leadership by receiving general public opinions. Fireside Talk was proposed by himself aiming at the intimate communication with citizens and it is only by radio that the great president talked with his people and listened to their records and advice in search of better information of the practical situation of local resident. Well informed to all of the practice, he had help America to pass the toughest period in history. It provides us the key to understand the essence of a democratic presidency in which the general public is indispensable to the government. In the prompt, Columbus was indicated to show the blindness of majority. It cannot be divided with the unbalance between the advanced science by some genius and undeveloped productivity at that time. Majority cannot be ignored according to the rule of thumb from thousands of human's civilization, especially in politics. What kind of leadership can be evaluated as effective and qualified? It must act on the principle that "all is for the benefit of people" and should possess the feature of democratic. In another way to say, it is expected to provide the chances for every individual to speak out their opinions. Only by doing this, the freedom and human right can be well demonstrated. In summary, from such like and these considerations, it clearly appears that the negative attitude to majoritys opinion is groundless in that the speaker is oblivious to the influential contribution of general public apart from the political experts. We may define the politicians as the catalyst when the whole development of the society is the reagent. Catalyst can only accelerate or decelerate the whole process of the reaction, not determine. The most crucial determining factor for the development of the society is likely lie on the general people involved in the community

Is the opinion of the majority in government or in any other circumstances a poor guide-2
The entire idea of democracy centers around majority rule where laws and standards are put into effect if most of the citizens support it. However, if people concentrate on only the majority in each circumstance, they often forget the voices and rights of the minorities. Simply because a person is in the minority of an opinion does not mean he can be ignored, for in a true democracy all the citizens are guaranteed the same rights. Thus in some circumstances strictly following the opinions of the majority is a poor guide to determining what actions to take. The days before Americas Civil War, when slavery was prevalent, demonstrate that following majority rule often fails to respect peoples moral rights and liberty. The majority of white people in the early 1800s supported slavery because of the benefits they received from the suppressed blacks. Thus, the government reluctantly allowed slavery to be legal in America, despite the terrible sufferings of the slaves. The degraded slaves underwent uncountable terrifying experiences-they were beaten, separated from their families, and forced to toil laboriously in fields their entire lives. And because the government believed majority ruled the slaves lived in such conditions until the Emancipation Proclamation was written during the bloody Civil War. Had the government not followed the opinions of the clamoring whites, slavery could have been abolished much sooner, and much suffering could have been avoided. Thus, in this circumstance of freedom vs. suppression, the opinion of the majority served as a poor guide to follow by the U.S. government. Furthermore, the effects of majority rule impact Americans today, for there are many unsolved, controversial issues such as abortion, stem-cell research, and homosexual marriages. In the case of gay rights, the majority of Americans oppose people of the same sex marrying, and most of the states laws reflect this opinion. However, ignoring the wishes of gays and lesbians by enacting these laws will leave many of them unhappy because they cannot legally tie the knot with the person they love. The U.S. Constitution declares that everyone has the right to pursue happiness, but by banning gay marriages, some may be barred from the happiness of marriage. In addition, many oppose stem cell research because they are angered by the fact that embryos are created and then destroyed. Once again, though, if the government passes a law banning such research, the minority may suffer. Stem cell research may save lives by using the cells to specialize in a certain area. Those who would benefit from the discoveries of stem cell research may die. (429)

What is your opinion of the claim that without adequate knowledge of the past, we cannot truly understand the present?
While some people would view that an in-depth analysis of our past would restraint our horizons of future, I, being a member of the Asian community, believe that our past not only helps us understands our present, but also defines who we are. Human beings grow through constantly making choices and learning from their mistakes. And understanding the mistake you made was one way to analyze your past, and to move beyond it. One of the basic philosophies of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit community, was to learn from the mistakes through daily reflection. The early Jesuits came together starting the first Jesuit School in Messia, as they were discovering their mission by doing it, adapting to change, taking risks, and learning by trial and error. One of the three key movements of a Jesuit education is be reflective. What you have done?, What was strikes you the most today? and What do you see room of improvement within? are the three questions that I have been constantly asked about being in a Jesuit school. Taking a few minutes daily, thinking about those questions helps you understand what your potentials and interests are. Thus you can move on from it. As we occasionally deny our past, we can never get rid of it, and our past is what really defines what we are. You might not succeed, but you cannot stop from progressing is one of my favorite quotes. This quote was made by a successful reporter, who later on failed on starting her own broadcasting company. During her interview with media, she reviewed her past, and confessed her failure with starting the company which was a result of the lack managing skills. From here, we can see that even if we try to start up a new page, we are inevitably defined by our past. If she was not a famous reporter, she would not be likely to start up her own broadcasting company. However, in the other hand, if she had any background in management, her broadcasting company might not fail. There was a psychology study about personality change and amnesia. The study found that peoples personality changes dramatically as their amnesia develops. Most of the serial killers became who they are because they were abused during their childhood in some degree. However, the study found that serial killers who lost their memories becoming no longer dangerous any more. This could be a clear indication of the huge power of our past has on defining who we are now. Through the successful teaching of the Jesuit education, we can view reflection as an effective tool of analyzing our past and deciding our future; The reporters case tells us that our past experience dominates what we are capable of doing and what we are not; and the serial killer who become harmless shows us that losing our past could

lead to a dramatic change in the present. And just as Dr. Suresh once said: "It is human nature to look to the past. To the road we have travelled. To what has so far defined us. But only leaving our past behind can we then push onward into an unknown tomorrow, into the dawn of a new future into the light of a new beginning..."

Have modern advancements truly improved the quality of people's lives

While everyone knows that is impossible to predict the future accurately, there are always some pessimistic people emphasizing that the world is changing for the worse. Though some evidences can support their pessimistic opinion, I believe the world is changing for the better without any doubt, because they have ignored the bright side of their evidence. The most popular ones of these evidences are advanced weapons, medical science and the change of human nature. Advanced weapons have been seemed as a negative production of technology, which are always charged of making the world no longer safe. Among these advanced weapons, nuclear weapons are always considered as the most dangerous kind. But, in fact, after the two world wars, the possibility of new world war has decreased to its lowest level. Under the threat of nuclear weapon, no politician dares to start a war in a large scale at the risk of destroying the whole world. Like weapons, medical science has its negative side too. Drug problem is often mentioned when people argue about what medical science brings to us. People who always refer to this are trying to avoid meeting the main effect of medical science, to heal patients. With the development of medical science, people become healthier and healthier, and the average age is long and longer. How can the pessimistic people claim medical science has made the world worth while they are taking the advantages of medical science? Among the evidences given by pessimistic people, the change in human nature is the worst. They argue that modern people are no longer so pure, honest, and loyal and warmhearted as if all previous had been. However, schemes in Shakespeares works are as insidious as modern ones. The change in human nature is a false impress because our scholarly authors are candid when facing the deficiency in humans souls. Obviously, all the evidences given by those pessimistic people are not as strong as they seem to. However, they give us some claim that we must avoid the negative sides of those modern achievements, such as advanced weapons and medical science. Only can we make it, the world can completely change for the better. (362)

Is the effort involved in pursuing any goal valuable, even if the goal is not reached
It has been frequently argued that, only the efforts which finally lead people to success can be considered of value. Universally, people tend to doubt the necessarily of so called fruitless efforts. However, in the endless pursuit of a better future, the truth is that any effort involved in the pursuing of a worthy goal, not matter if fails or succeeds, is of undeniable value. Efforts, especially when the goal is not reached, are not only respectable but also contribute. Admittedly, everyone in this world admires those who succeed in pursuing their noble goals of life. But the question is can we simply be so snobbish that we respect only the successful ones while mocking at those who fail? In the history of ancient Rome, the system of slavery finally ended up in the cruel repression of the Roman Empire, while their intrepid and fearless pursuit of freedom and humanity remained. They chose to fight for their dignity and freedom before they died, although they had a chance for a nimble survive. Undoubted, their effort, inspire of their failure, is absolutely meaningful as well as respectable, for they fought to preserve the true nature of humanity. Accordingly, noticeable effort, even if the goal is not reached, is also contributive to the pursuit of success. We cannot take every success for granted for each realization of dream results from ones every single effort, especially effort, which does not seem effective. It is universally accepted that without thousand times of failing and trying. Thomas Edison would not be able to have electric light invented. More commonly, in our daily lives, we many find that we have to go through numerous failures before finally reach our goals, from accessing into the student council to starting ones own business. There is no secret to success. It is ones every attempt and failure that leads him to the final destination. From what have been discussed above, we can reasonably conclude that every effort we make, however it turns out to be, will make a difference in our lives. In the pursuit of our goals, every single effort counts. Therefore, never can we discriminate our efforts by their instant results, for they have been and will be dispensable and valuable in the whole journey of our lives. (382)

Do people have to be highly competitive in order to succeed?

Darwin suggested that the process of evolution is one based on competitionwhich deadly weeds out the weak and only the fittest of the species survives. Humans, products of millions of years evolution, are by nature, competitive beings. Yet, humans are also social beings. As the bees in the hive, we need to cooperate with others for our survival. However, as we goes further and further on the way of survival of the fittest, competition becomes the intrigue achieving by craft and guile what one could not manage by honest means. It is slowly eating away normally-running order of our society in the name of cunning and ruthlessness. It is my belief that competition, in the process of pursuing success, is more detrimental than beneficial to human society. While it is true that competition in the fast-developing world has brought great benefits to the consumer, the society is paying a great price for it. Most businesses are exploiting cheap labor in the third world to maximize their profits. There are thousands of sweatshops run by well known western corporations in countries like Indonesia, Bangladesh and China. People are forced to work in squalid conditions, often 16 hours a day. They are lucky to receive a dollar a day for their labors. The moment a government in any of these countries try to improve the working conditions of the employees, these multinational giants flee away, leaving the whole communities facing financial ruin. The compromise competition brought us is further beyond that. It has been said that education is one sphere where competition has always had a beneficial influence. Even this claim is dubious. According to a test of the influence of competition, the competitive students are less likely to exchange ideas with one another. Furthermore, competition drives students to study well to pass exams, but not to gain wisdom. Students spend many hours preparing for standardized tests, which many believe are inherently flawed. Thus, it is often not the most intellectual student who succeeds, but the most competitive. In other words, by competition one can be successful but not sagacious. Competition is an inborn human trait. It has some positive qualities, but overall, it does far more harm than help to the society. As intelligent beings, humans can transcend their evolutionary weaknesses. Thus, we should rely less competition but more cooperation to achieve success for the sake of the society. (400)

Is it necessary for people to combine their efforts with those of others in order to be most effective?
Nowadays, a majority of people claim that personal ability is crucial for anyone to accomplish anything. They should reconsider when they see the effectiveness when people combine their strength to reach an identical goal. When people work together, their knowledge and effort can do more than what they can do individually all together. To learn to cooperate has become a crucial skill for those with ambitious dreams. When two forces combined, they can draw upon each others strength to overcome their weakness and do what they never can do separately. Sony Ericsson, the joint venture of Sony and Ericsson, brought the two decadent companies back to vitality. In 2001, Ericsson, once the boss in cell phone market with a share of over 50%, was struggling with huge losses. Meanwhile Sony was a rookie company in cell phone field with a share of no more than 1% and had gone through a tough period in cell phone market. Fate brought the two companies together. This newborn company coalesced Sonys consumer electronics expertise with Ericssons technological leadership in the communications sector. Such a proper collaboration resulted in an outstanding achievement technologically and financially in a short time. From 2001 to 2009, Sony Ericsson unveiled various phones that were popular worldwide. On Mobile World Congress 2009, the first 12-Megapixel phone was introduced. The two companies reached unprecedented success due to their alignment. It had been their appropriate consociation that led to the rejuvenation of the two dying tycoons. The win-win of Sony and Ericsson justifies the boundless energy of cooperation.

On the other hand, failing to use the strength of companions may cause accomplished people meet their failure. Lance Edward Armstrong, the US road-racing cyclist that won the TOUR DE FRANCE a seven consecutive times, met his waterloo having failed to notice the crucial part his team played in his glorious consecutive champions. After his seventh champion, he was over self-confident and refused to draft with his team. Instead, he began working on his own, planning his diet and strength training on himself. Consequently, on the next race, he got a shameful result ranking only the 11th. After the tragic loss, he came to realize the truth that no one ascends alone. He called upon his team once again to return to his throne. After a year of synergism with his team, he returned the following year and claimed championship for another miraculous 7 years. After considering Armstrongs story of loosing and regaining his first place in the TOUR DE FRANCE, we may safely bring out the conclusion that collaboration is the pivotal factor in ones success. Without teamwork, even the toughest cyclist cant win the race, but with team work, he could be able to dominate the field for a terrifying 14 years. Obviously, the success of Sony Ericsson and the story of Armstrong with suchlike cases justifies the essentialness of cooperation. Combining effort of several people makes it easier for any of the

participants to do similar work.

Is persistence more important than ability in determining a persons success?

Nowadays, a majority of people claim that talent is crucial for anyone to accomplish anything. When companies are recruiting new members, they tend to investigate their employees about their backgrounds to see about their ability in the field while neglecting many of their other qualities, especially, their willing to persist. A bit of consideration over a few cases can lead us to the apparent truth that insistence is the key factor in ones success. Persistency help one realize his or her goals. Susan B Anthony, the renowned feminism whose influences are remarkable in the struggle for female rights, stuck to her goal and reached her success. Anthony was born in an era when most women got married, produced children, and deferred completely to their husbands and have hardly freedom. She decided to dedicate her life to struggle for female right. However the road was not easy. A golden opportunity for female suffrage had arisen with the drafting of the fifteenth amendment to the U.S. Constitution. This amendment was necessary to grant voting rights to the former slaves who were liberated by President Abraham Lincolns emancipation proclamation. However, the abolitionists supported the Fifteenth Amendment only to the extent that it gave African American males the right to vote while not a bit concerned about the amendment's exclusion of women. Anthony met her failure and was vigorously struck. But she didnt give up. She gave lectures and published books in order to spread the idea of womens equality to men. She set up publications like The Revolution organizations like Woman's State Temperance Society of New York and National Woman's Suffrage Association to help women gain rights to keep inheritance, guardianship of children, and freedom in clothing. Her petition drives and lectures were instrumental and revolutionary in convincing the legislature to pass laws giving married women basic rights that they once lacked. Had she gave up her dreams when she faced such encumbrances, women today may still suffer from their restrained life. Therefore, we can conclude from the story of Anthony the essential role consistency played in the achievement of a success. Persistency help accomplished people out of abysses and continue their legend. Charlie Chaplin, the prominent comic artist in the 20th century, continued his outstanding life after cheering up from a cataclysmic event in his life and prolonged his artistic career. After getting under the limelight, he came to his choke point in his life. His son died three days after birth and his wife alienated him. The bitterness and bereavement evoked his childhood memories and he lost faith in life. But he didnt give up. Shortly afterwards, he came back with a new movie, the Kid, a movie that described a story similar to that of his own. He changed his setbacks into his materials for film making, and returned with great success, instead of relinquishing his career. His success was not gratuitous. He gained it after experiencing great sorrow, all because he chose not to abnegate when his beloved ones parted him. Without his persistency, he would never have brought the 7 masterpieces later, and his reputation would not have been so wide spread. Chaplins valor to face the truth and benefit from misfortunes substantiated the significance of perseverance in our lives. Obviously, the examples of Anthony and Chaplin with all the evidence and analysis justify an

unshakable conclusion that persistency is the single most tremendous factor in ones success.

5.4 Some Moderate-level Essays with Official Score Explanations Assignment: Do memories hinder or help people in their effort to learn from the past and succeed in the present?
Score: 5-A
I agree with Ms. Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot in saying that some people "see old memories as a chance to reckon with the past and integrate past and present." Many people are so troubled by things that happened in their past that they are not able to focus on the present. For example, in the book Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko, Tayo, the main character, cannot concentrate on the present because he constantly hounds himself over things that happened during World War II and his troubled childhood. However, past memories can help people to succeed in the present. An historical example of people learning from the past would be the Marshall Plan. After the conclusion of World War II there were many countries around the world in need of economical assistence to help rebuild their war torn countries, and the United States would have to be the one to provide that assistence. Many American politicians thought it was foolish for the US government to spend money abroad on countries that would not be able to repay the loan for a long time. However, George Marshall, a former general and later Secretary of State under President Truman, remembered how the exact same argument of "why should we spend money on war torn nations that really owe us reparations?" had been used after World War I towards Germany. The lack of assistance towards Germany after World War I had caused a gigantic economic depression in Germany that had made the Mark (German money) virtually worthless. The German people became so desperate that they started supporting an extreme German nationalist named Adolf Hitler, who eventually started World War II. Marshall knew that if the US did not help war torn Germany and, especially, Japan, we could eventually have a World War III on our hands. 301

Score Explanation This focused essay effectively develops its point of view and demonstrates strong critical thinking ("Many people are so troubled by things that happened in their past that they are not able to focus on the present. . . . However, past memories can help people to succeed in the present"). The essay uses appropriate reasoning and examples and demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas ("Many American politicians thought it was foolish for the US government to spend money abroad on countries that would not be able to repay the loan for a long time. However, George Marshall . . . remembered how the exact same argument . . . had been used after World War I towards Germany"). The essay also exhibits facility in the use of language. To earn a score of 6, the writer needs to achieve clearer coherence and smoother progression of ideas by integrating the example of Ceremony more effectively into the overall essay, perhaps through an extended comparison of Tayo's and Marshall's experiences of World War II. The essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery and is scored a 5.

Score: 5-B
Memories 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". Some view failed experiences as a hinderance 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. In 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. Memories, 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.

Score Explanation 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.

Score: 4 A
Interestingly enough, I fall in the middle of these statements. I believe that one should remember the past and learn from those events. However, I also believe that many bad memories harm the present and the future. The only way to continue, many times, is to forget and forgive. My brother, who is college, has proved to me the importance of getting good grades and actively participating in extracorrecular activities. These two ideas helped him to get into the prestegious college of the University of Notre Dame. His education there will allow him to have a prosperous career as an adult. Reviewing these facts and ideas has led me to believe if I do the same, I will have a similar promising career. Consequently, I have gotten good grades and have seen interest from many prestigious programs. Through my knowledge, I have learned that in many bad instances, time to forget is very important. Ireland, for example, had been persecuted for many hundreds of years from 1000 AD to 1900 AD. After being granted the Irish Free State, they attacked many parts of Britain for retribution of those many years of being oppressed. Consequently there has been on going hostility between the two peoples. This hostility has cost the lives of many hundreds of people. A quote once said, "Violence begets violence" is the perfect phrase for this warfare. The only way to stop the loss of life is to forget and forgive; start anew. Different situations require different actions to proceed in a positive manner. Many times, people are required to use both elements. For example, let's forget this part and concentrate on how to bring this positive part into light. Both of the ideas on remembering and forgetting have their reasons for existing and both are positive. 299

Score Explanation This essay provides adequate reasons and examples to support both aspects of its point of view ("I believe that one should remember the past and learn from those events. However, I also believe that many bad memories harm the present and the future"), thus demonstrating competent critical thinking. The essay is generally organized and focused and features coherence and progression of ideas. Facility in the use of language is adequate, despite some inconsistencies ("Through my knowledge, I have learned that in many bad instances, time to forget is very important"). The essay also has some errors in grammar, usage, and mechanics. To earn a higher score, the writer should provide additional appropriate evidence and use critical thinking to extend the discussion of situations in which "people are required to use both elements." The essay demonstrates adequate mastery and receives a 4.

Score: 4 B
The point of making mistakes is to learn from them. If you don't learn from what you do wrong, then making mistakes has no silver lining, it is purely bad. I have come to believe this through personal experience and watching others. When climbing the "ladder of success," each step gets you closer to the top. Therefore each step is a mistake that you learned from, a good decision, or even a stroke of luck. How could a person climb that ladder without each and every wooden rung to help them? I am human, therefor, far from perfect, I make mistakes all of the time and I am a better person because of that. You could almost say that the more mistakes a person makes, the stronger a person they are, assuming of course that they learn from them. As a child I stole cookies from the cookie jar, lied to my parents (still happens every once in awhile), and played tricks on my brothers. I, in turn, got in trouble with my parents and was punished. After that I learned that those things aren't okay. Now I tend to make different mistakes, such as, going to places that aren't safe for me, and giving up when things get hard. Life is a huge cycle of making mistakes and learning from them. That is why people can become so wise and strong in what they do, they make good out of the bad. I also see people close to me using problems and mistakes to make a good situation out of a bad one. My parents, my brothers, and my closest friends are all slowly building up the knowledge to be successful. How can a person be more successful by forgetting what they have already learned? That doesn't push you forward it just holds a person back. Even if a person wanted to forget their past, they couldn't. It's like forgetting that if a stove is turned on and you touch it, it will burn you. 336

Score Explanation This essay develops a point of view ("Life is a huge cycle of making mistakes and learning from them") with adequate reasons and examples, thus demonstrating competent critical thinking. Generally organized and focused around the notion that remembering past learning experiences is crucial for success, the essay is marked by coherence and progression of ideas ("As a child I stole cookies from the cookiejar, lied to my parents . . . , and played tricks on my brothers. I, in turn, got in trouble with my parents and was punished. After that I learned that those things aren't okay. Now I tend to make different mistakes"). The essay also exhibits adequate facility in the use of language, despite some errors ("I am human, therefor, far from perfect, I make mistakes all of the time and I am a better person because of that"). To attain a higher score, the writer needs to support and extend the essay's argument with additional focused examples of people learning, or not learning, from their experiences. The essay demonstrates adequate mastery and is scored a 4.

Assignment: Is creativity needed more than ever in the world today?

Score: 5 A Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is very correct in his observation that the people of the world today are interested more in practicality than creativity. The arts are slowly dwindling in popularity, and have been for quite some time, more rapidly after the invention of the computer and its ability to mimic the creativity in the arts. Creativity is needed more than ever in the world today. Back in the 1930s and 40s, Jazz was the most popular music in America, if not the world. During that time, even though it was plagued by depression and war, the American people were in good moods when it came to music. Back then, Jazz was a dance music, and the creativity of the improvisation done by the individual musician was astounding, and the Jazz vocabulary grew by leaps and bounds every year. However, now this innovative, catchy music has been replaced by Rap music, which is simply a man or woman chanting violent, profane, incomprehensible words to a computerized drum-and-bass loop. The creativity in this music is non-existent, and look what it has done to our youth. Rap is not a fun type of music. It is a serious type of music, due to its lack of creativity, and because of this, the kids are resorting to violence and drugs to cope with their want for innovation. Another example of the worlds need for creativity is the lack of creative options at high schools. Schools today teach basically from the books there is a paucity of first-hand experiences. Because of this, the creativity that the students may have possessed essentially has no outlet, and it slowly disappears over time. The result is that the students are only wanting to become businessmen, lawyers, or doctors. There is no creativity involved in those jobs one just has to be as close-minded as possible and exceptionally focused. The population of professional artists and musicians in the United States is diminishing rapidly, simply because the spark of creativity that young people have can never find an outlet, so to speak. If we continue at this rate, we will have computers performing all of the concerts with midi synthesizers, like they do on Broadway, and software creating works of art. The people will be like robots without any emotion or passion, simply focusing on what they need to do to get to the next day. Personally, I am a musician, so naturally I have a biased opinion on this subject. However, this severe lack of focus on creativity in schools, and especially in the music industry, is unsettling, and from seeing how people are without the arts in their lives, living emotionless, passionless lives, I know that creativity is needed more than ever.

Score Explanation This essay demonstrates reasonably consistent mastery in effectively developing the point of view that the "severe lack of creativity in schools, and especially in the music industry, is unsettling, andcreativity is needed more than ever." The essay displays strong critical thinking and effective organization, using the appropriate examples of changes in musical taste (from jazz to rap) and "the lack of creative options at high schools" to argue that the stifling of creativity negatively affects people's lives. The essay also demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas, as well as facility in the use of language and variety in sentence structure ("Schools today teach basically from the books--there is a paucity of first-hand experiences. Because of this, the creativity that the students may have possessed essentially has no outlet, and it slowly disappears over time. The result is that students are only wanting to become businessmen, lawyers, or doctors"). To earn a score of 6, the essay needs to provide additional focused evidence to support the claim that there is a link between a lack of creative options and people "resorting to violence and drugs," or behaving "like robots." This essay is effective and achieves a score of 5.

Score: 5 B It is registration day right before the start of senior year and you have just received your class schedule: eight periods of grueling, AP-level classes. You scrutinize the paper and see something surprising. There, between the BC Calculus and the European history, is a rare species: a pottery class. It simply cannot be, you say to yourself in a tone of awe. You had thought that such an elusive creature would never again dwell in the same habitat as your advanced class, not after you were through and over with your freshman and sophomore years. You tuck your schedule into a folder and make a mental note to drop the class as soon as you can. The attitude of most honors students towards art classes is similar to that of a person faced with an inoculation. If they werent needed, most students wouldnt take art classes. The sheer thought of forsaking a valuable time slot for just playing with paints is simply shocking. Most students would prefer to take a course that they would need in the future such as physics or chemistry. Yet in todays world we need classes that give us the chance to freely explore the realms of creativity; to create. In a world where we are rammed into the mold of a useful citizen with our knowledge of facts and information, dont we need the ability to use this knowledge to create something useful. What good would the knowledge of chemistry be to a person who doesnt have the capability to use it to form something new. Our world demands creativity! Our world demands the ability to create! Our world demands that you take that art class! Score Explanation In effectively developing a point of view about creativity by portraying the "attitude of most honors students towards art classes," this essay displays strong critical thinking ("Most students would prefer to take a course that they would need in the future such as physics or chemistry. Yet

in today's world we need classes that give us the chance to freely explore the realms of creativity; to create"). Well organized and focused, the essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas ("It is registration day right before the start of senior year and you have just received your class schedule: eight periods of grueling, AP-level classes. You scrutinize the paper and see something surprising. There, between the BC Calculus and the European history, is a rare species: a pottery class"). The essay also features facility in the use of language and variety in sentence structure ("Our world demands that you take that art class!"). In order to achieve a higher score, the essay needs to further develop the central point that knowledge is useless without "the capacity to use it to form something new." This effective essay earns a score of 5.

Score: 4 A Creativity is needed more than ever in the world today. It is essential for human beings to be creative and develop ideas and tools that better aid the world. It can also serve as a motivational tool.
Born and raised in the Silicon Valley of California, I have had experiences and knowledge of how high-tech companies function. One will not believe how many interesting chips and gadgets these companies manufacture! However, it is the creativity and innovations of employees that bring us computers, TiVo, cable television, CAT scan equipment and many other electronic devices that entertain and help us in everyday life. Everyday essentials and life-saving devices would not have existed if creative minds were not put to work. Creativity can also be implemented in early stages of childhood. Creativity is the element that relieves us from the banal experiences of everyday life. When I was in the first grade, I was a boring little adolescent. Everyday I would come home and flip on the television. However, one day I decided to invite my friend over to play. We took my stuffed animals and began making a drama out of it. It was his idea to set the scenario of an elementary school setting with a bully (my gorilla) picking on little kids (a stuffed seal, a fox, some Beanie Babies, and a turtle). It was quite funny and entertaining. I had a lot of roles to do, too. If it werent for that day, I would still probably be coming home to the television. However, now I am actively in a drama group, and I enjoy making short films, some spontaneously on the spot. I owe it to my friend who stimulated and helped me discover my creativity. Someday I hope to be the next Steven Spielberg or Quentin Tarantino. Creativity is indeed beneficial and essential to the world. It helps people make life-saving devices and helps serve as motivation for others. It makes me wonder how lackluster the world would be if it wasnt for creativity.

Score Explanation This essay demonstrates competent critical thinking and displays some coherence and progression of ideas by specifying two distinct ways in which creativity is important: "It helps people make life-saving devices and helps serve as motivation for others." The essay uses adequate examples to develop its point of view, explaining that "it is the creativity and innovations of employees that

bring us computers, TiVo, cable television, CAT scan equipment and many other electronic devices that entertain and help us in everyday life," and showing how creative activities in childhood led the writer to become an aspiring filmmaker. The essay exhibits adequate but inconsistent facility in the use of language, and demonstrates some variety in sentence structure ("It was his idea to set the scenario of an elementary school setting with a bully (my gorilla) picking on little kids (a stuffed seal, a fox, some Beanie Babies, and a turtle). It was quite funny and entertaining. I had a lot of roles to do, too"). To achieve a higher score, the essay needs to use stronger critical thinking to further develop and connect the two examples. This competent essay earns a score of 4.

Score: 4 B In elementary school students are asked to draw, craft and write creatively. As they grow older they are encouraged to step farther and farther away from this idea. The closer they get to adulthood the more direct and factual their work should be. In todays world the use of creativity is discouraged due to the development of technology and the expectations of the school system.
Since the early 1900s when such inventions as the lightbulb and steam engine were introduced people have been directed away from thinking for themselves. The common man need not think of a solution to his problem if a machine can do it for him. By creating more technology the world is limiting itself and dispensing of any need for creativity. In the school system too it is easy to find that students can do well without using the artistic sides of their brains. Throughout high school children are asked to evaluate challenging algebra equations and memorize our nations history. These tasks ask not for creativity, but merely knowledge of what has been put before them. Even the SAT has, until this year, ranked students based on their ability to answer questions, not on their artistic talents. People are taught more and more that there is a right way to do everything. In this type of society it is not necessary to challenge oneself creativly but to do as one is told. This clearly shows that creativity is no longer needed to survive on our world.

Score Explanation This essay adequately develops the point of view that "In this type of society it is not necessary to challenge oneself creativly," and uses competent critical thinking to show how technology and schools contribute to this problem. The essay is generally organized and focused, demonstrating some coherence and progression of ideas as it explains that creativity is no longer encouraged ("The common man need not think of a solution to his problem if a machine can do it for himstudents can do well without using the artistic sides of their brainsPeople are taught more and more that there is a right way to do everything"). The essay exhibits adequate facility in the use of language ("Even the SAT has, until this year, ranked students based on their ability to answer questions, not on their artistic talents"). To achieve a higher score, the essay needs to demonstrate stronger critical thinking in addressing the issue and developing a point of view. For example, the essay should further explore the ideas in the following statement: "By creating more technology the world is limiting itself and dispensing of any need for creativity." This competent

essay receives a score of 4.