作者：陈方,任爱军
出版社：清华大学出版社
格式: AZW3, DOCX, EPUB, MOBI, PDF, TXT
美国大学入学申请文章写作及例文欣赏试读：
第1部分 美国大学入学申请及申请论文
一、美国大学如何挑选学生
年复一年，国内的高中生已经习惯了参加高考、筛选院校、填报志愿，然后等待录取这一套流程。随着经济的发展，家庭经济能力的提高，中国与世界的交流逐渐增多。越来越多的中国家长和学生不再只衷情于国内高考，开始寻求本科留学的路。这支日渐庞大的留学申请队伍中，大部分人的目的地可能就是美国。因此，我们要对美国大学招录学生的过程有所认识。
美国大学的招生工作和中国大学是不同的。众所周知，我们的高考(中国高等教育入学考试)在大学招生过程中占有相当重要的地位。高考分数几乎可以决定学生就读什么档次的大学。在美国，和中国高考相对应的考试应当是美国SAT和ACT，有些人将其简称为美国高考。但是和我们的高考不同的是，SAT考试成绩仅是作为美国大学衡量学生的一部分，不起决定性作用。在SAT考试中，获取高分的学生被美国大学拒之门外的也绝对不是个案。在招收学生时，美国大学的招生人员主要衡量考生以下几个因素：
学习表现
标准化考试成绩
活动表现
推荐信
面试
申请论文
1.1 学习表现
优秀的学习能力是绝大多数大学最看重的一项指标。在评估学生申请材料的时候，大学招生人员会重点关注申请者在平时的学习表现，包括中学成绩、班级排名等。SAT、ACT等标准化考试有其侧重的方面和不可避免的偶然性，因此中学的平时学习成绩更能够全面地反映学生真实的学习能力。同时，平时的学习表现也是招生人员判断学生在将来的大学学习中是否有可能取得学术成就的重要依据。
1.2 标准化考试成绩
中学成绩、班级排名在申请中的首要地位无需赘述，但由于申请者来自世界各地不同的高中，高中水平也是不尽相同。因此，大多数大学也会要求申请者参加标准化考试。标准化考试包括：学术能力评估测试推理测验部分(SAT Reasoning Test，亦即SATI)或美国大学测试(American College Test，亦即ACT)、学术能力评估测试学科考试(SAT Subject Tests，亦即SATII)以及托福考试(TOEFL)。
标准化考试成绩是美国大学所能够得到的，唯一可以比较来自不同地区和学校的学生的成绩，所以它对录取与否及奖学金多少的影响非常大，对国内申请者的影响尤其重大。这可能也是大家将其赋予“美国高考”头衔的重要原因。因此，在整个准备申请的过程中，必须认真备考。
1.3 活动表现
中学成绩固然能够反映学生的学习能力，但个人素质同样是学校关注的一个方面。因此，学生校内校外各项表现也就成为大学评价学生的一项指标。每个学生在中学时期的活动多种多样。例如，学生是否是学生会、班级、社团的干部；是否组织过什么活动；是否做过义工等。通过申请者在各项活动中的表现，招生人员可以对其领导能力、创造力、团队精神等素质有一个初步的了解。
1.4 推荐信
在了解了申请者的学习成绩、标准化考试成绩、活动表现后，学校同样对别人如何看待和评价申请者感兴趣。因此在接受申请时，各学校往往会要求相应的推荐信。推荐信可以来自学生的学校、任课老师以及同学。
一般，学生会选择自己的老师为自己写推荐信。首先，老师对自己的情况比较了解，在推荐信中可以做到准确的形容和翔实的描述。另外，老师写的推荐信比较有说服力。每个学生都希望得到积极正面的推荐，因此选择推荐人的时候，要首先考虑比较欣赏自己或者自己擅长科目的老师。其次，推荐人最好是你未来学习科目(或与之有关)的老师。比如，你打算报选工科的专业，比起语文老师描述你阅读、写作功底深厚，物理、化学老师描述你在他们科目当中的天赋的推荐信则更好一些。
同一个学生一般会同时申请多所大学，学生在要求推荐人写推荐信时一定要向推荐人提供相应的信息，以便推荐人在写推荐信时有所侧重。
1.5 面试
不是所有的大学都需要面试，只有一些著名大学，如常春藤盟校通常会对申请者进行面试。面试的重点是考察申请学生的综合素质和临场应变能力，其次是对英文水平的考查。
美国的大学通常将面试的时间定在12月中旬之前。当然也有在2月、3月进行的面试。面试可以在校园内进行，更普遍的是在学生居住地区由学生和所报考学校的校友间进行。
作为申请的一部分，面试关同样不能忽视。能够肯定的是，在面试当中的出色表现肯定会对申请有帮助。
1.6 申请论文
了解了学生中学成绩、SAT或ACT成绩、平时活动表现等信息后，美国大学同样对学生的写作能力感兴趣。把申请论文放在最后一项来介绍，不是说明申请论文在申请中的地位不重要。恰恰相反，申请论文在申请美国大学中具有非常重要的地位。
二、申请论文
2.1 申请论文在申请过程中的地位和作用
进入高年级，尤其高三的学生，面临申请大学的压力逐渐增大。随着申请时间的迫近，家长和学生都会开始申请的旅程：参加SAT考试、填写标准表格、选择适合自己的学校、填列工作经历、课外活动等信息、准备申请作文等。
SAT成绩很快会出来，高中的各科成绩业已板上钉钉，高中生活即将结束(已经可以总结自己参加过什么校内、课外的活动了)，大家推荐信一般都是充满了赞扬和肯定，没有太大差别。同学们这个时候能够自己做的只剩下准备一篇出色的申请作文了，这也是申请材料中我们唯一可以完全把握的。
美国大学把申请作文设置成招生工作的一个重要组成部分，是因为大部分大学认为申请作文是一种很重要也很可靠的了解学生的途径。
通过一篇申请作文，首先，可以了解一个个性化的申请者是如何思考的问题的。当然，推荐信也有介绍申请者的作用。区别于推荐信，由于申请作文出自于申请者本人，因此信息更加直接。哥伦比亚大学的一位招生人员说：“哥伦比亚大学希望录取有创新和独立意识的学生。因此，我们的申请作文题目具有相当大的发挥空间。我们希望给学生一个在文章中用他们自己的话与我们交谈的机会，这样可以看出他们会做出哪类选择。比如他们选什么题目以及运用什么风格来展示主题。”简而言之，写作申请作文是时刻围绕“选择”进行的。选择主题、选择题材、选择写作风格。这些选择会透露出申请者思考的内容和过程，显示出思考问题的逻辑顺序、观点组织能力、归纳总结能力。同时，文章还可以反映出他的人生观、价值观、生活态度、学术态度等个性化信息。这也是招生人员最为看重的，也是判断该申请者是否适合在这所大学学习和生活的重要参考内容。
另外，申请作文除了能够反映作者的个性和如何思考问题外，还可以体现他的写作能力，包括组织、分析以及表达的能力。美国的大学里经常需要些论文，在平时测试中也会有论文部分或者论述回答问题的部分。因此扎实的论文写作技巧对于申请者未来的大学学习也是至关重要、备受重视的。
虽然，申请文章并不能决定申请者是否能够被录取(否则大家高中的生活会很单一的)。能够写出优秀文章的也往往是那些没有优秀作文也能够被录取的学生。对于这些学生，一篇优秀的申请作文可能只是起到锦上添花的作用。但对于其他申请者(所占比例往往很大)，尤其其他条件都不相上下的同一学校的人，一篇吸引人的申请作文就会起到决定性作用。
所以，在申请过程中，一定要重视申请作文的作用。尤其是成绩不比别人高，推荐信与别人不分高下的时候，一定要抓住这个完全自己可以把握的机会，给自己12年的学习画上一个满意的句号。
2.2 有关申请论文的几个问题
1) 申请论文的目的是什么
简单来讲，申请论文向读者，尤其是招生人员，展示个人风采的平台，是一个生动形象的自画像。可以通过申请论文展示你思考问题、组织观点、驾驭文字的能力。
2) 申请论文的基本结构是什么
申请论文在结构上和你写过的其他论文没有太大差别，一般都分为三个部分：开头、中间和结尾。
开头部分表明文章主题，告诉读者你的文章将要表达什么样的内容。
中间部分(主体)是具体内容，通常包含几个段落，用以分别诠释论证论点。
结尾再回到文章的主旨，呼应主题，告诉读者文章传达了什么信息。
这种“三段式”写作方法是一种很不错的论文写作方法。开篇点题，单刀直入，会让每天参阅无数申请文章的招生人员倍感轻松。在明晰观点后，他会顺着作者呈现的顺序继续读下去，直到论述完成。最后，文章结尾处重复观点或者是总结，将有助于增强文章的整体性和连贯性，并增加了文章的说服力。
当然，美国大学申请文章不同于应试文章，因此，此处所说的“三段式”只是一个笼统的说法，是基本的文章结构，绝不是说文章就应该写成“三段”或者“n段”。在具体格式的把握上切勿掉入应试文章的“八股文”陷阱。
3) 写作申请论文是否参考简历
通过简历、日记等，回忆、总结、归纳也不失为一种写作前期构思的方法。但是申请论文绝对不是重复罗列已经提交的简历、成绩等信息的。申请论文是申请中独立的一部分，与其他环节平行，需要传达出其他部分没有的信息。而学校让你提交申请论文的本意也是如此，需要你展示出其他申请部分所没有反映的信息，更深入地了解你。因此，申请论文并不是简单的信息重复。
4) 申请论文需是否需要题目。
不需要。入学申请论文的题目是可有可无的，没有强制性要求。如果你认为你的题目会对招生老师产生吸引作用，或者对文章有特殊意义，那你可以把你的题目放在首行中间，否则，放心大胆地直接进入文章正文吧。
在多年的学习生活过程中，你一定写过很多论文、报告，并且已经掌握了或者至少了解了基本的论文写作方法和技巧，因此申请论文的写作并不是不可征服的困难。只要注意申请作文的特点，以及如何应用的方法，写出一篇得体的申请论文对于你来讲并不是遥不可及的事情。
第2部分 申请论文的写作
一、论文题目辨析
目前，超过390所高等院校的录取工作都采用《通用申请表》(Common Application)。大部分学校还会要求再提交一份补充申请表(Common Application Supplement)。《通用申请表》里，需要提交两篇文章：
第一篇：Short Answer(短文)：
Please briefly elaborate on one of your extracurricular activities or work experiences in the space below or on an attached sheet (150 words or fewer).
请在以下空间内简述一项课外活动或工作经历，或另附一张纸(150词以内)
第二篇：Personal Essay(250词以上长文章)：
Please write an essay (250 words minimum) on a topic of your choice or on one of the options listed below. Please indicate your topic by checking the appropriate box. This personal essay helps us become acquainted with you as a person and student, apart from courses, grades, test scores, and other objective data. It will also demonstrate your ability to organize your thoughts and express yourself.
除了课程、分数等客观数据以外，作文可以帮助我们更好地了解你作为一个学生和一个人的各个方面。它也能展示你组织思想和表达自己的能力。请自选话题或从以下题目中任选一题进行写作：
1. Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have forced and its impact on you.
评价一次重要的经历、成就、危机或者遭遇的道德困境以及这些对你的影响。
2. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national, or international concern and its importance to you.
讨论一件与你个人、所在地、所在国家有关的事情或你关心的国际事件并阐述它对你的影响。
3. Indicate a person who has had a significant influence on you, and describe that influence.
描写一个对你有深刻影响的人及其影响。
4. Describe a character in fiction, a historical figure, or a creative work (as in art, music, science, etc.) that has had an influence on you, and explain that influence.
描述一个小说角色、历史人物或者一件影响你的创作(艺术品、音乐、科学发明等)，并阐述对你的影响。
5. A range of academic interests, personal perspectives, and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal background, describe an experience that illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community, or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
一系列的学习兴趣、个人观点、生活经验都能增加教育的多样性。根据你的个人背景，描述一段经历，用以说明你能增添大学的多样性，或者说明一个文化多样性的校园对你的重要性。
6. Topics of your choice.
题目自拟
不同院校在申请论文方面的要求不同，相当数量的院校除上述通用文章(Common Application Essay)外都同时设有自己的命题。题目之多、范围之广，很难一一列出。而且大量问题并不是只字片语能够准确回答的。不同院校的问题可能有所重复，因此在回答类似重复的问题时可以根据具体问题对论文进行适当修改，重复利用。所以我们需要对各种题目进行分类总结，便于准备。面对庞杂的命题，我们也不是无规律可循。
我们通常所看到的论文题目都要求你选择某段经历、某个对你具有影响的人物，阐述这些是如何影响你、改变你的。无论问题形式如何，问题的答案应当都是描述性的。这类问题大致可以分为三类：
1.1 “你”的问题
这类命题通常就是要求申请者写一篇自我介绍。以下是一些此类命题的例子：
1. How would you describe yourself as a human being? What quality do you like best in yourself and what do you like least? What quality would you most like to see flourish and which would you like to see wither?
你如何介绍自己？你最得意和最不喜欢的品质分别是什么？你最想发扬自己的哪项品质，最想摒弃哪项品质？
2. Describe the most challenging obstacle you have had to overcome, discuss its impact, and tell what you have learned from the experience.
描述一件你经历过的最大的挑战，讨论它的影响，并叙述你从中有何领悟。
3. Creative people state that taking risks often promotes important discoveries in their lives or work. Discuss a risk that has led to a significant change(positive or negative) in your personal or intellectual life.
有创造力的人说，冒险常常能为他们的工作或生活带来重要发现。讨论一次在你自己生活或学习中的冒险经历及其给你带来的巨大变化(积极的或消极的)。
这类问题通常比较直白，很明确地告诉申请者需要提交一份“自我介绍”。学校通常设置这类题目是给申请者一个平台，可以直接展现自我鲜明的个性、热情奔放的特点、敏锐的思维等一切优点。
应对此类题目的关键是找到支撑自己论点的一件或几件具有代表性的实例，亦即论据，用以论证你的团队精神、好学的态度、与人为善的品质等。
写这种作文最常见的问题就是文章重点不突出、主题不鲜明。申请作文篇幅短到几十字，最长不过一页多，仅凭这些文字是无论如何都不可能面面俱到地把自己完整地描述出来的。这时候就需要你从自己多方面的特点中找到个性，找到最突出的那个特质，有重点地展示给大学招生人员，再辅以生动、翔实的实例予以佐证。
1.2 “我”的问题
这类命题通常都是让申请者陈述选择该学校或者相应专业的原因。下面是一些例子：
1. If you are interested in pursuing a B.S.E. degree, please write an essay why you are interested in studying engineering, any experiences or exposure to engineering you have had, and think the program in engineering offered at Princeton suit your particular interest?
如果你打算读取工学士学位，请提交一篇文章(任何相关的经历或对工程学的理解)用以阐述你对工程学感兴趣的原因，并且思考哪些普林斯顿大学提供的课程符合你的兴趣。
2. How did you learn about XX and why apply?
你是如何了解XX大学的，申请原因是什么？
3. Why are you interested in studying XX?
你对在XX学习感兴趣的原因是什么？
4. How do you think the program in XX at XX might suit your particular interests?
为什么XX大学XX系的课程符合你的兴趣？
5. Many students decide to apply to XX based on our size, location, reputation, and yes, the weather. Besides these valid reasons for making XX a possible college choice, why is XX a particularly good match for you?
很多学生考虑到我们的规模、校址、声誉、当然还有气候而决定申请XX大学。除了这些把XX列为选择的理由，XX还有什么特别之处特别适合你？
如果说自我介绍是一种个人陈述以“你”为主题，那么这类问题就是需要将“你”与“我”联系起来成为论述中心。“你”还是一个个体，“我”则是学校、专业等。
和具有不同特质的申请者一样，每所院校也各具特色，在专业设置、重点学术研究领域不尽相同。比如，哈佛大学在科学、人文方面的科研实力都非常强，在全球学术界的影响力很大。与此相比，哈佛工科的教研实力稍差一些，而麻省理工在工程学上占有绝对优势。调查并比较各学校的特点，是你在选校的时候就进行过的。因此你对选择该校的理由应当非常清楚。所以写这类作文不会有无从下笔的情况。
这样，就对你提出一个很明确的要求——尽可能地深入了解你所申请的学校。然后根据你所掌握的信息，用事实说话，罗列出为什么这所大学的某些特质会吸引你。然后将这些特质和你自己进行联系。这就是回答这类问题的重点。
1.3 “你得想想”的问题
很多时候，大学会要求你选择你的一段经历，高中时的几件具有特殊意义的事情，某个对你具有深刻影响的人物，对你成长产生重大影响的事物等。以下是一些例子：
1. If you were given the opportunity to spend one year in service on behalf of others, which area would you choose? Briefly explain why.
如果你有一年的时间可以代替其他人，那你的选择会是什么？简述原因。
2. What kind of person would you consider an ideal roommate for your freshman year in college?
你心中理想的大一室友会是什么样的人呢？
3. Do you believe there's a generation gap? Describe the differences between your generation and others.
你相信有代沟吗？描述你们这代人与其他年龄人的代沟是什么？
4. Write page 297 of your 300-page autobiography.
请写下你共300页的自传的第297页内容。
5. In the year 2050, a movie is being made of your life. Please tell us the name of your movie and briefly summarize the story line.
在2050年，有一部描写你生活的电影开拍。请告诉我们电影的名字并简述故事情节。
比起开门见山的个人陈述性命题和重点明确的选择XX的命题，这类问题相对委婉、隐晦，重点需要挖掘。
同时，这类命题往往范围比较广泛，给你广阔的发挥空间。学校不是通过你直接陈述如何适合该大学来了解你，而是通过你对其他一些问题的选择、思考与回答，然后对你进行评判。
和前面两类命题类似，这类命题的实质仍然以“你”为中心，因为无论命题需要你陈述什么内容，最终目的还是要透过文章了解你的特点与个性。虽然给了比较宽泛的选择空间，但这类题目往往还是限定某个领域供你选择，比如“某个人”、“某件或某几件什么事情”等。这样，就可以使你确定写作方向、缩小思考范围。
总之，除了上面例子外，还有很多。但是，无论题目以什么形式出现或者属于哪一类，文章的目的都是需要你向学校展示自我，无论文章重点描述的内容是什么，文章的中心仍然是“你”。比如在回答“对你影响深刻的人”的问题时，也许通篇刻画一个你心目中的英雄，但归根到底还是通过你选择这样一个人物，以描写能够说明你和你所描写的人物具有、或者你希望具有相似的特质。在回答“为什么选择我们学校”的问题时，你避免不了选择自己适合该学校的特长或特点。总之，文章的一切元素总以“你“为中心展开。
二、如何选定主题
在理解论文题目后，你下一步的任务就是确定文章的主题。正所谓万事开头难，确定主题将决定你文章的写作中心与方向，因此一定要仔细慎重。许多命题经常要求你回忆过去经历的许许多多的事情，然后从中挑选一件或几件进行深入叙述。在面对这样的题目时，每个人都会面对这样一个问题：“天哪，我怎么从这么多经历的事情和接触的人中挑选出那个最能代表我个性、对我具有最深刻影响的事情或人物啊？”然后就会面临无从下笔的尴尬。这时就请你静下心来冷静思考，对自己的经历进行一次梳理。
2.1 坐下来，一张纸、一支笔，开工……
首先，拿一张纸，静静地坐下罗列出你经历过的重大事情、熟悉的人物、参加过的重要活动等。如果你仍然不知道应该怎么写，那下面的问题也许有点帮助：
1. 如果让你现在写一篇自传，请按照时间的先后顺序列出你准备叙述的五到十件事。
2. 列出五个最能描述你个性和特点的形容词。如果实在找不出来你可以请亲朋好友帮忙。
3. 选出对你具有意义的五项收获。这里所说的成就不一定是一般意义上的奖项。也许你选出来收获对别人来讲微不足道，但对于你个人意义深刻。
4. 列出三到五个你擅长的学科、项目等。
5. 列出你最重要的五项课外活动。
6. 列出五位你最尊敬和崇拜的对象，可以是伟人、亲人、朋友等。
7. 你最喜欢的书、电影分别是什么？
8. 列出你经历过的两次人生低谷和两次重大成功的时期。
9. 向父母询问三到五件对你印象深刻的事情。
10. 分别列出三条你最喜欢和最厌恶的活动、地方、物品等。
完成以上工作后，这时你应当有至少30个可写的话题了。下一步工作就是从这些话题中筛选出与申请作文有关的内容了。请通过以下方面逐条考量上述话题：
这是你独有的，还是大部分人都有的特质？
是什么促使我加入了这项活动？
使你将这项活动进行下去的理由是什么？
是什么原因使你对这件事印象深刻？
经历这件事后你如何变得更加成熟了？
你为什么会列出这个人呢？
你希望以此人为榜样吗？
这个人的哪个或哪些特点吸引你？
这个人说过什么话让你终生难忘？
为什么你喜欢或者讨厌这个事物？
这个事物会对你产生怎样的影响？
从这次失利中你能总结出什么经验？
回答完这些问题，你就会发现不再无从下笔，至少有五到七个备选话题了。下面的工作就是从这几个话题中根据命题要求确定文章主题方向。
2.2 九问定主题
请通过回答以下问题最终确定文章的主题方向：
1. 你选择的这个话题是否能充分体现出你有别于他人?
2. 这个话题是否只会将你的软点暴露无遗？
3. 这些内容在申请材料的其他部分是否出现过？
4. 是否能找到生动翔实的论据支撑这个主题？
5. 这个主题是否可以针对命题进行全面诠释？
6. 这个话题是否可以吸引读者并给读者留下印象？
7. 这个话题是否真实可靠并且可以完全驾驭？
8. 这个话题类型是否与申请材料的其他部分格调一致？
9. 你选择的话题是否过于讨巧，会使阅文无数的招生人员反感？
用回答上述问题的方式筛选每个备选话题，上述九问答案全部为“No”则表明该主题入选。最终从所有备选话题中确定两个到三个。如果筛选后还有很多，那么就根据你自己把握的难易度和话题的新颖程度选两到三个出来；如果经过筛选，没有合适的话题，那恐怕你得返回梳理自己的环节了。
确定主题或者论点这个最艰难的过程结束后，你就可以按照多年学习论文的知识和经验着手写作了：寻找论据、确定论证方法、组织文章结构和修饰润色。针对入学申请论文，接下来列出一些建议供你参考。
三、论文写作技巧与建议
3.1 好开头
据统计，每个招生人员平均每天审阅至少50份申请材料，每份申请材料都有二三十页。这样算下来，他们每天至少阅读一千页的申请材料！虽然他们的工作就是审阅申请材料，但是他们也是人而非机器，并且他们是超负荷工作的疲惫的人。所以，他们很可能随便翻翻开头，或者再扫一眼结尾，然后就会对文章有大概的判断了，要么是被精彩的开头吸引，饶有兴致地仔细欣赏下去；要么被千篇一律的开头弄得头昏脑胀，粗略地或者采用跳读的方式结束审阅工作。你希望审阅你材料的招生人员以一种什么态度审阅你的论文呢？可见一个精彩的开头有多么重要。
精彩的文章开头能一下子打动读者的心。好文章的开头应具备哪些标准呢？
简洁。简洁是议论文开好头的保证，尤其是复述材料时更是只能对材料进行简要概括，切不可详细叙述。
主题鲜明。议论文的开头一定要开门见山，让读者一下子就知道你要说什么。尤其不应该和阅读你文章的那些疲惫的人兜圈子。
使用一定的表现手法，使开篇富有文采。申请论文的开头，可以运用修辞手法，如比喻、引用、设问、排比等，使其焕发出夺目的光彩。
写好一个精彩的开头，请参考以下建议：
引用名言名句。很多名人在某个时期、某个场合说过著名的或有趣的话。不妨找到一两句放在你文章的开头段里，用以引出论点或者奠定文章的基调。
写一段趣闻。申请论文多取材于你的日常生活的片段，这样就可以在文章的开头先讲一个故事，然后再由故事引出论点，并将开篇讲述的故事作为全文议论的依据。这种方法的好处是既可以使文章说理有据、议论有本，还可以使文章就事说理，针对性很强，进而增强文章的说服力。
采用提问的方式开篇。在文章开头采用问句形式，就展开的主题提出自己的疑问，然后再在回答问题中提出自己的观点。申请论文采用设问开头，不仅能引起读者的注意，启发读者思考，还能在自问自答中自然亮出全文的中心论点，真可谓水到渠成。但你使用这种开头，请务必保证接下来能够准确完整地回答这个问题，否则你的文章就是个大问题了。
开头对下文有所提示。如果你对文章主体论述部分很自信的话，请采用这种形式开始你的文章。
不要写成单纯的自我介绍式开头。避免使用“My name is…”、“I am…”等。
3.2 好结尾
一篇好的作文要做到“凤头”、“猪肚”、“豹尾”。申请论文也不例外。文章已经有了好的开头和精彩的论述，到了结尾的时候绝不能松懈，一定要记住往往“行百里者半九十”，做文章亦是如此。在构思申请文结尾的时候请参考以下建议：
简短有力。经过主体部分的论述，主题已经非常明确，结尾段一定要简短有力，真正起到“画龙点睛”的作用。
要解答文章开头以及主体部分提出的任何悬念和问题。如果你写的是一个故事，那这时候一定要解释故事的结尾。
要水到渠成。只有经过缜密的论述才可以得出结论，因此结尾没必要用明显的提示词，诸如“To draw a conclusion”、“Finally”等。
不要重复已经写过的内容。很多情况下“首尾呼应”会使文章显得结构连贯紧凑，给读者一个文章整体感很强的印象。但是“首尾呼应”并不是说机械地重复文章的开头或者重复已经阐明的主题。
3.3 透过经历寻找意义
以通用申请表第一个命题为例(请参见本书“论文题目辨析”章节)。仔细阅读命题后你会发现，要求你“evaluate”一段经历，“evaluate”的意思是“对…进行评价；判断(或决定)…的意义(或价值、性质)”，并没有让你对这段经历进行描述(describe)或者概括(summarize)。当然在文章中对经历的适当描述和概括是必要的，但是文章的核心是让你对经历进行深入的思考，并讨论这段经历在你成长的过程中是如何影响你的。
3.4 生活无小事，用心去感知
大部分作文辅导书和写作指导老师都主张，写申请作文时，应选择一些“不同寻常”的事情，但是大部分十七八岁的高中在读生经历很相似，经历过“不同寻常”的事情的人所占比例不会很多。如果大部分人都经历过诸如“自己最要好的朋友发生车祸”、“受邀参加奥巴马就职典礼”的事情，那人们的生活可真的不是一般的“丰富”了。因此，就大多数申请者而言，从自己日常生活中的“小事”中挖掘不平凡的意义才是应对问题的最好方法。让自己经常保持思考，锻炼自己透过事物表面深入分析的能力。仍然以《通用申请表》第一个问题为例，其中的“significant”一词足以让一些学生抓耳挠腮，因为在他们心里，想象不出过去的这十七八年里(即使对呱呱坠地开始后的经历都有印象)真正出现过什么“具有重大意义”的经历。其实这种观点是错误的，即使你的生活真的如你想象的那样“单调”、“平淡”，你仍然有对于你来讲“具有重大意义”的经历。回想一下你第一次做饭的经历、第一次你自己乘飞机的经历、第一次和父母发生争执的经历。南加利福尼亚大学招生办公室主任约瑟夫·艾伦在谈有关申请文章时说：“你的申请短文应让读者全面了解你和你的想法。你不需要在短文中讨论核战争和影响你一生的大事，发生在日常生活中的小事更能表现出真实的自我，以及什么是我们生活的能力。”生活中不缺乏“有意义”的事情，可能你缺乏的仅仅是发现意义的眼睛和一瞬间的思考。
3.5 明确目的，展示个性、品质
在写文章时，一定要时刻明确，我们反复强调的一个问题“学校为什么让你写申请作文？”当然，他们需要知道你有最基本的写作能力，可以应付大学里大大小小的写作任务。但是，他们更重要的目的是可以更深入地了解你，了解你的个性、品质、优点、学术能力、人生观、价值观等。这是整个申请材料中唯一一个给你展现个性、体现你价值观的部分。考官希望从中发掘信息，表明你适合该学校。他们更希望看到文章传递出来你的领袖特质、团队精神、谦恭的态度及自省的能力。
3.6 不要写成“个人简历”的翻版
很多申请者在写作时容易犯的一个错误就是，尽可能多的将自己的成就、活动经历、工作经历罗列在申请作文里。这样的文章往往单调、乏味、让人不知所云。在申请材料中有专门供你填写详细个人简历的部分，因此不要在申请文章中重复简历中已经很详细的信息，写应该写的内容，让它发挥应该发挥的作用。
成功的申请文章应该讲述一段经历或一个人物，并且有一个明确的观点，并且通过精心挑选的细节支撑论点。文章应该揭示你的个性。写一段难忘的经历，并对其进行深入的思考和探讨，这比你罗列一大堆获奖经历传递出来的信息有价值得多。请用成绩和班级排名向学校证明你是一个聪明的学生，用申请文章传递你是一个善于思考、思想成熟、很具深度的人。
3.7 不要过分吹嘘自己
招生人员应经读过无数以“你的成就”为主题的文章，看到许多“获得学习优秀奖”、“打破运动会记录”、“获得年度校际篮球赛冠军”的经历。以这些积极向上的经历为主题固然是一个好的构思，这种文章的整体语气是很关键的。不要让读者感觉作者是一个“牛皮匠”或者“自命不凡”的人。诸如“如果没有我，恐怕我们队就不能……”的语句最好不要出现在文中，容易让读者产生不好的判断。没有哪个学校希望招收到的学生是一个傲慢、自命不凡的牛皮匠。好的申请文章往往语气谦恭，主题一般都是作者谦虚大度，并具有团队精神的。
3.8 不要“过度”幽默
申请文章观点成熟、具有深度是很重要的。但是如果在文章中恰当地使用一些修辞，比如隐喻，合理地插入一个笑话，或者以自己与生俱来的幽默方式行文，都会使文章读起来不会特别沉重，并且可以吸引读者。这也是为什么很多作者追求“幽默”的写作风格的主要原因。但是“幽默”也要恰当有度，如果文章中充斥与主题关联不大的笑话、歇后语，很可能让读者反感。纽约大学招生服务与计划副教务长理查德·阿维塔拜尔曾指出，“写申请短文时，要反映真实的自己。如果你平时不滑稽，文章中就不要故作滑稽。说明自己是谁，充分展现自我。”
同时，追求幽默绝对不能影响文章的主旨。文章的基本任务是完成命题要求，生动全面地回答题目的问题，幽默化地表述只是可以选择的手段，切不可本末倒置。
3.9 反复检查语法拼写错误
在写初稿时，每个人都会有或多或少的语法或者拼写错误。因为初稿中大家的注意力都集中在文章的内容上。但是如果在定稿中出现诸如时态、单复数等低级错误，那么考官很可能将你判断为连最基本的语法水平都不具备。
写完文章后，你应当反复阅读，睁大眼睛为自己挑错，重点检查使用的动词、时态、名词代词单复数、句子主谓结构是否完整。另外不要过分依赖文字编辑软件的拼写检查功能，有些单词拼写正确，错误检查系统也不会识别，但是在文章中可能就是错误的。比如，“He took care off me”，拼写检查系统可能就不会告诉你“off”有问题。
第3部分 申请文实例
现在，你已经了解了如何理解申请作文的命题、寻找论述主题以及构思创作文章的一些方法及技巧。接下来的一部分中，选录了一些近年来美国大学入学申请实例文章以供大家参考。
本部分文章全部由成功申请者创作。文章风格各异、题材多样，旨在让大家更形象地体会美国大学本科申请文章。同时，虽然这些文章都是申请者申请时的原作，但并不是“无懈可击”。申请文不同于SAT、IELTS 等标准化考试作文有评分标准，希望大家采取“欣赏”和“批判”的态度参阅。部分文章中的学校或者作者姓名已经被删减或更改，但不会影响文章整体结构。
一、课外活动短文
文章1
"Wildlife Conservation? Are you sure you want to create such a clichéd club?"John exclaimed in astonishment. "It’s classic, not clichéd." I replied with assurance, "Wait and see".
The discussion with John, now the club vice president, vibrated in my mind while I was delivering a presentation in the first club meeting. Faint light from the projector reflected on the audience, whose frigid and apathetic faces exuded boredom. Slides started going, condensing my thoughts into indubitable evidence of defenseless wildlife’s suffering: Puny cubs whining plaintively beside their mother’s shot dead body; homeless birds hovering above the lost habitat; dead fish bodies floating on the black oily sea…
Faint light kept glistening on the audience, whose faces had been softened with concerns and affections. Thinking of Albert Schweitzer, the pioneer in promoting reverence for every species, I made my closing remarks: "In order to truly embrace every species, let’s start with ourselves."“野生动物保护？你确定你想建立这么老掉牙的组织？”约翰惊讶地大声吼道。我肯定地回答道：“是经典，不是老掉牙。”
在第一次俱乐部会上我做陈述的时候，与约翰(现在俱乐部的副主席)的这段对话一直回荡在我的脑间。投影仪发出昏暗的灯光反射到听众的脸上。他们那毫无表情的脸透露出对这个话题的厌烦。幻灯片开始播放，播放了当前未受保护的野生动物的困境：弱小的幼仔在被射杀的母亲的尸体旁发出哀怨的声音；无家可归的鸟儿在已经失去的家园上空盘旋；浮着黑色油污的海面上漂浮着死鱼。
暗暗的灯光一直照在听众的脸上，这时他们的表情已经缓和，表现出了关切。Albert Schweitzer是倡导尊重所有物种的先驱。在致闭幕词的时候，我想起了他，我说道：“为了真正保护所有的物种，让我们从自身做起。”
文章2
Prompt: Everyone belongs to many different communities and/or groups defined by (among other things) shared geography, religion, ethnicity, income, cuisine, interest, race, ideology, or intellectual heritage. Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it. (Approximately 250 words)
"Let’s go to the other side of the hill, there must be more stuff waiting for cleaning!" I called on all the 51 members in of "Green Action Group" in a loud voice. Collecting garbage twice a week on local hills is our convention, which was initially raised by our geography teacher an environmental zealot. Although being to retire soon, he was still passionate about encouraging us students to conduct diverse environmental actions on disparate landscaped areas, such as forests, lakes and hills, where our "GAG" later spent the whole weekends on.
The first time to collect garbage on the hill was unforgettable as it was actually not so easy as it sounded like, especially when you had to sought efficient ways to well organize the group work and as well take care of every member at the same time. But, somehow, I did not feel bored or exhausted at all. Climbing up and down with nimbleness and picking up plastic bags, empty bottles and every other litter brought us a piece of pure natural land without contamination as well as a sense of contentment and freshness. Viewing from the peak of the hill, however, we found this little green elevation we just created was surrounded by concrete forest of cities, trembling and cowering, which blew away all our satisfaction and pride.
From then on, members in "GAG" have virtually united into an environmentalists group. Saving water bottles, collecting signatures for environmental promotion and making school recycle bins, we begin our green actions from every trifle around us. Sharing the same ideology of environmentalism, we believe in Marshall McLuhan’s words: "There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth. We are all crew."“走，我们到山的另一面去，那里一定还有很多东西需要清理。”我大声地招呼着“绿色行动小组”所有的51位成员。每周两次到当地的山上清理垃圾是我们的固定工作。这项工作是由我们的地理老师最先发起的。他是一个环保热爱者。 虽然即将退休，他仍然热情地鼓励我们到各个地方进行各种环保行动，包括到森林里、湖边和山上。从此以后，“小组”每周末都会到这些地方。
第一次到山上清理垃圾令人难忘。实际上，这项工作并不像听起来那么容易，你必须在有效组织工作的同时，照顾好每一个成员。可是，对此我一点也不厌烦，也不感到疲惫。在我们灵活地爬上爬下，在拾起塑料袋、空瓶子和其他所有的垃圾后，一片纯自然、没有任何污染的土地又出现了。同时，我们产生了一种满足和清新的感觉。但是，从山顶望去，我们发现，刚刚获得的这一小片绿地正被包围在混凝土铸成的城市群当中。我们的心在颤抖，成功的喜悦和成就感顿时消失殆尽。
从此以后，“小组”的所有成员组成了一个真正的环保者团体。我们开始从我们身边的每一件小事做起，回收矿泉水瓶、征集环保宣传签名、制作校园回收箱。怀着相同的保护环境的信念，我们都坚信Marshall McLuhan的一句话：“在这艘地球飞船上，我们都是船员，没有乘客。”
文章3
30 Hour Famine
It was already midnight. Time for bed for many students, but my buddies and I were sleeping over at the school gym. We had not eaten anything since the beginning of the day. Twenty-four hours had past, six more to go. Despite the weird sound from our stomachs, none of us had complained about the hunger. Although sometimes I thought we could help the others through ways like donating, the famine provided me with a chance to experience the daily life of starving African children. Compared with them, my hunger seemed so trivial. It was a pleasure to attend the "30 Hour Famine" hosted by the World Vision Club, and I was proud to be one of the 100,000 Canadian teenagers who participate in this event annually. If only my hunger will make the African poor children full, even for one day, it is all worth it.
30小时禁食行动
已近午夜时分。很多学生都入睡了，但是我和我的朋友正在学校的体育馆里，从早上到现在滴米未进。已经过去24个小时了，还有6个小时。虽然肚里发出奇怪的声音，我们也没有一个人抱怨肚子饿。即使我有时认为可以通过类似捐款的方法帮助别人，这次挨饿给了我一个机会，让自己可以体会非洲儿童每日饥肠辘辘的生活。与他们相比，我的饥饿显得如此微不足道。参加这次由世界宣明会(the World Vision Club)组织的“30小时禁食行动”我感到很高兴，而且为能够加入到10万名加拿大少年的队伍中每年参加这个活动感到骄傲。假如我的禁食能够让非洲贫困儿童吃饱肚子，即使仅仅一天，一切都是值得的。
文章4
The best moment of my weekly hiking comes when I finally stand on the Peak of Grouse Mountain: the refreshing air blows my hair gently, the striking scenery of the entire west shore reveals right before me. It’s an enjoyment for me now, but back to my first visit, I was stumped. Almost dragged by my dad the whole way through, I felt it was the longest 2 hours in my life: I complained, I cried, I threw up, I rested every 5 minutes, I sworn to not come back. However, at the very end of the journey, everything changed: although exhausted, there’s a subtle taste of triumph and satisfaction. Ever since then, I have been driven to take the challenge again and again, because I know even though there is a tough journey waiting, there is pure joy at the end.
当站在格劳斯山山顶的时候，是我每周徒步旅行中最开心的时刻。清风拂过发丝，西岸撼人的美景在我面前一览无余。现在，我感觉这是一种喜悦，可是在第一次来的时候，我可是举步维艰。那次爬山的整个过程我基本上是被父亲拖着走的，那是我一生中最长的两个小时。我一路抱怨、哭闹、呕吐，每过5分钟就歇一次，发誓再也不来了。但是，那次旅程的最后，一切都变了：虽然已经筋疲力尽，我心中有一丝成就感和满足感。从那时开始，我一次又一次地接受挑战，因为我知道前方旅途虽然并不平坦，但是终点处会有纯粹的喜悦。
文章5
It was 6:00 in the afternoon. I was neither playing basketball with my buddies, nor enjoying a delicious meal at home. Instead, I was still working in the school wood workshop along with other members of the Handicraft Club. Girls’ laughers pervaded the room while discussing color of painting, John was cutting out wooden blocks from the wood pad. I was busy polishing the surface of wood block with a rough sanding paper. It was such a tenuous and accuracy-demanding job that I had to do it with full preoccupation in a crouching gesture. Soft beads of sweat soon started to collect on my back and forehead…
This scene happened everyday before last Christmas. We were making spinning tops to kids who were going to spend the holiday in Vancouver Children Hospital. The spinning tops were not just toys, but also messengers that convey our greetings and wishes along.
那是下午6点钟。我既没有和朋友一起打篮球，也没有在家享用美食。在学校的木工房里，我正和手工艺俱乐部的其他成员一起干活。女孩们的笑声在屋里弥漫，我们正在商量漆料的颜色，约翰正沿着木垫切削出木块。我正忙着用一块砂纸打磨木块表面。这是一项要求精确的细活，我蜷着身子全神贯注地进行着。很快汗珠开始从我的后背和额头上渗出。
这是去年圣诞节前的每一天都会发生的一幕。我们正在制作陀螺，准备送给将要在温哥华儿童医院过节的孩子们。这些陀螺不仅仅是玩具，也是传达我们问候和祝福的信使。
文章6
"For every piece of sushi our customer eats, an African child smiles in return" is the new advertising appeal I created for the UNICEF club, the best-selling lunch option on campus. It is our goal to expand its service and raise more funds. Together we designed banners and posters. I even wrote a song to motivate everyone at school.
One day an eighth-grader timidly approached me, "I don’t have enough, but I want to help UNICEF. Here’s all I have – a dollar." At that moment I truly felt that I had turned consumers’ need for good taste into a desire to help others.
That year our profit rose from the $3,000 to $5,000, one thousandth of UNICEF Canada’s $3,000,000 annual income. As the head of the club, I was gratified and grateful that our effort was paid off, not only in numbers, but also in students’ morale and spirit.“顾客每吃一口寿司，非洲儿童就会报以一次微笑”。这是我为UNCEF俱乐部创作的广告语。UNCEF是校园里热卖午餐的俱乐部。我们的目标是扩大服务范围和筹集更多的资金。我们一起设计标语和海报。我甚至写了一首歌来激发学校里所有人的积极性。
有一天，一个八年级的同学走近我，怯生生地说：“我的钱不够，但是我想为UNCEF出份力。我就有这么多——1美元。”那个时刻，我真切地觉察到，我已经把顾客对食品的需求转变成了帮助他人的渴望。
那一年，我们的利润从3,000美元上升到了5,000美元，相当于加拿大UNICEF年收入300万美元的千分之一。作为俱乐部的领导，能看到我们的努力有了效果，我很欣慰，不仅仅是因为钱的数目，还因为同学们的士气和精神。
二、挫折、挑战、成功
文章7
An Award-winning Experience
I stood by the fireplace, staring silently at the reflection of my face in the golden surface of an oversized chalice on the mantel. The nose looked seriously distorted, and the head was stretched like a balloon. The eyes, which appeared to be slightly larger, looked back at me with an expression I could not decipher. Were they joyous or sad? Timid or confidant? Usually clear and cheerful, they suddenly lacked the maturity that years of leadership experience had given them. The Grade 11 Top Student trophy stood triumphantly on its plinth, but my reflection on its surface betrayed the uncertainty in my heart over this prestigious honor.
Getting this award to its place on the mantel was not easy. I don't just mean the year of studying it took to achieve it-that was difficult too-but also the process of carrying the giant, golden trophy from the school to my car. Intercepted constantly on my path by friends, teachers and miscellaneous students, I encountered genuine praise, friendly hugs, surprised stares, and envious remarks. Among the many good wishes and congratulations, which made my heart warm and fuzzy, I also heard a few disgruntled murmurs. "I didn't think she studied hard..."With a fixed smile, I thanked everyone mechanically, still swimming in a daydream. Of all the competing I.B. students in the school, it was I who had received the coveted trophy!
At the same time, the trophy weighed -heavily in my hands and on my heart. Waves of uncertainty washed over me as if trying to drown my self-confidence. Friendly jokes about teachers manipulating the system for their "favorite" student mingled with jealous murmurings about others being more deserving, these floating remarks clouded my mind with insecurity. But the doubts lasted only a moment. I knew how hard I had studied, and how far I had come. Jealousy did not do me justice, the award did.
I admit that my style does not conform to the stereotype of the hard-working I. B. student. Though I have glasses. I do not often wear them. The library is not my favorite hangout. I like to wear pretty jewelry and fashionable dresses. I invest my name in extracurricular activities, because I know that no one wants to see an exhausted face. I passed my driving test first time. Most importantly, I have many friends inside and outside of school, and I like having fun.
All this does not mean I neglect my academics. Indeed, in my positions of responsibility, the close scrutiny of peers and teachers pressures me to support my image with outstanding academic achievement like most of my I.B. friends, I pursue excellence, but I am aware that it is not the end of the world if I get 95% instead of 98%. I have pulled quite a few all-nighters' perfecting labs or assignments or studying for multiple tests. I have also had the pleasure of reading impenetrable textbooks over and over again or doing one math problem five times over just to grasp the basic concept. In addition, I had to develop more efficient study methods to compensate for the time I spent on extracurricular activities.
Looking deeply into my reflection, I journeyed back to grade 6, when I first stepped onto this unfamiliar land of Canada, an ocean away from my comfort zone. l spent countless nights crying because of my inability to memorize colloquial phrases or the names of American states. Then, I recalled the times that I was finally able to chat away happily with my Caucasian friends trading Chinese words for English expressions. Every challenge I encountered sowed a golden seed in my garden of growth; every new experience I went through watered my garden.
Still staring at my reflection in the trophy, I drew a deep breath; the self-doubt it had aroused faded and vanished. This trophy is the golden fruit of my hard work. It completes me, epitomizing the fully-rounded person I always aspired to be. I have come to recognize my abilities and believe in my potential. Whatever others may think or say, I know who I am, and I believe in myself.
一次获奖经历
站在火堆前，我静静地看着壁炉架上酒杯的金色表面上映着的自己的脸。我的鼻子看起来严重地扭曲了，而脑袋被拉长就像一个气球一样，我的眼睛看起来比正常情况下大了一点，它们直勾勾地看着我，带着一种无法解读的信息。它们是开心呢，还是难过呢？羞怯呢，还是雄心勃勃呢？这双平时清澈、充满爱意的眼睛突然失去了多年磨练所赋予的成熟。那个我11年级时赢得的优等生奖杯依然耀武扬威地独立在它的底座上。在它表面上反射着我的身影，这个身影泄露了我在这个荣誉下内心的茫然。
把这个奖杯放到壁炉架上不是件容易的事，这个不容易不单是因为为了得到这个奖要在学习上付出巨大的努力(坦白地说，这个确实是很难)，同时也是因为要把这个硕大的金光闪闪的奖杯从学校一路带到我的车上也不是件很容易的事，因为在路上经常被遇到的朋友、老师和杂七杂八的同学打断，他们给了我真诚的赞美、友好的拥抱、惊奇的注视和嫉妒的话语。众多的美好的祝贺使我心情激动并飘飘然，但我也听到很多不满的声音，例如“我不觉得他学习很用功……”等。怀着复杂心情，我笑着并机械式地感谢每个人。我还是有些神情恍惚，因为在学校所有为国际中学毕业会考课程竞争的学生中，只有我获得了这个让人羡慕的奖杯!
这个奖杯在我手里感觉沉甸甸的，同时它在我的心里也是很有分量的。一股股茫然的潮水涌向我，让我感觉自己的自信仿佛也沉溺其中。一些人开着友善的玩笑说，我得奖是因为教师们暗箱操作，偏袒喜欢的学生。还有一些嫉妒的声音在说，其他人其实更应该得这个奖。这些话语在我耳边漂浮，使我的心情阴云密布、毫无安全感。但这些疑虑只持续了很短的时间。因为我知道我是多么用功才取得了学习上的巨大进步，所以对我的嫉妒是不公正的，我得奖是理所应当的。
我承认，我的风格与传统参加国际中学毕业会考课程的刻苦读书的学生大相径庭。尽管我近视，但我却很少戴眼镜。图书馆不是我最爱去的地方，我喜欢戴漂亮的珠宝首饰、穿时髦的衣服，也频于参加各种课外活动，并一次性通过了驾照考试。我心里知道，没有人想要常常看到一张精疲力竭的脸。最重要的是，我非常喜欢与校内外有很多朋友一起开心地玩。
这一切并不意味着我忽略了我的学业。实际上，为了对自己负责，在仔细观察身边同学和老师后，就像大部分参加国际中学毕业会考课程的学生们一样，我还是被迫要通过出色的学习成绩来支持我的形象。我追求卓越，但不会因为只拿到95分而没有拿到98分，会觉得这个世界就要毁灭了一样。我为了完成实验、任务和各种考试的研究熬过通宵，一遍又一遍地读过晦涩的课文；也为了掌握一个基本概念，把一道数学题做上五遍。此外，我会总结出更加高效的学习方法来补偿我在课外活动上所花的时间。
我陷入深深的沉思之中，想起我六年级的时候，那时我刚刚踏上加拿大这片陌生的土地，从此与我熟悉的舒适环境远隔重洋。无数的夜里，我因为记不住口语短句和美国所有州的名字而独自哭泣。我也记起了最终能和白种人朋友愉快地聊天，并互相交换着中文和英文表达的愉悦。每次挑战都在成长的花园里都播下了一颗金色的种子，而每次新鲜的经历都灌溉了我的花园。
目不转睛地盯着那个奖杯，回想着自己的经历，我不由得深吸了一口气。对自己的怀疑也渐渐消退并最终消失。这个奖杯是我努力学习的成果，它使我的人生完整并使我成为自己一直渴望成为的那种全面的人。不管其他人怎么想或怎么说，我知道我是谁，我相信我自己，我认可自己的能力并相信自己的潜力。
文章8
I always loved art; indeed, I'm an artist. I studied oil painting two years ago and pursued it until last summer. After finishing high school, and desiring more independence, I sought for a job during the summer. But, because of my age, I got nothing. So, that was when I decided to open my own business with my art.
At first, I did painting works for a friend who sold the products to an online storeowner. It was quite good because I had an assured job, of course earning less, but assured. Sometime after, my mother took some decoupage and painting classes, and we began selling our art to some friends. We felt it was better be independent and do our business.
Using Facebook and Blogger for promotion, I created a profile where people could see our art. It was really frustrating at the beginning because we didn't have any comments; I wondered if we had failed. Though things did not seem to work out, I decided to invest part of my high school savings on my business; I was confident I could make my little business grow with some new strategies.
I bought new products, used new techniques and added as much people as I could in my bio site. With the new introductions, people began asking about my art, and interested people began appearing. As the days passed, my business grew a lot, from nothing to a real microenterprise. This morning I delivered several products to a new costumer, who, seeing the quality of the work, asked me to make more products for her. Even a TV program invited my mom and me to show our project. This is the real proof of how our perseverance and effort built our own business.
I took serial challenges with my project, I handled them the best I could and I took advantage of opportunities to make it true. I want to expand my business to new campuses in pastries and canastas. That is my goal right now, but I need a good education to accomplish it. I am confident that the finance program at The College at Old Westbury will provide me the best tools for my business growing. With its curriculum focused in financial analysis and financial planning, I will learn how to manage my investments and profits in the best way. Also, I am willing to contribute my best qualities for the university, and I am committed to meeting the university's high standards. I am sure The College at Old Westbury's finance program will really help me accomplishing my educational and professional goals.
我一直很喜欢艺术，实际上我是一名艺术家。两年前我开始学习油画，直到去年夏天才停下来。上完高中后，我渴望拥有更多的独立，所以在那个夏天我开始自己找工作，但是由于年龄太小，我一无所获。从那时起我下定决心要去开创自己在艺术领域的事业。
刚开始的时候，我帮一位朋友画画，他会把成品卖给网店的店主。当时我感觉非常棒，因为我有了一份真正的工作。当然赚的确实是不多，但是收入很稳定。在那之后不久，我的妈妈参加了装饰和美术的课程。随后我们开始兜售自己的作品给一些朋友。我和妈妈都觉得独立地去做一些业务比较好。
我在Facebook和Blogger这两个网站上创建了商品简介，作为我们的宣传手段，在这里，人们可以浏览我们的作品。刚开始的时候情况很让人沮丧，因为我们没有得到任何的网友评论。我甚至怀疑我们是否已经失败了。尽管事情似乎进展的不是很顺利，我还是决定把我在高中期间攒的一部分钱投资到我的事业上。我相信在新的经营策略下，虽然业务量现在比较少，但会持续不断地增长。
我购买了新的产品，采用新的技术，在网站上尽力增加足够多的好友。在更新了网站的介绍页面之后，对我的艺术品产生兴趣的人开始出现，也开始有人向我进行询价。日子一天一天地过去了，我的业务量增长了很多，真正实现了从一无所有成长为一个小公司。今天早上，我把几件产品发给了一个新客户。当这个客户看到我产品的质量后，她立即联系了我，要求多做些产品给她。我和妈妈甚至被邀请上了一档电视节目来介绍我们的项目。这件事充分肯定了我们在发展事业上的坚持和所付出的努力。
在执行项目过程中，我碰到了一系列的挑战并尽自己最大的努力处理了这些问题。这些机会在另一方面也使我有机会去让我的项目变得更加成功。我目前的计划是把点心和纸牌的业务推广到其他学校里去。但是为了实现这个近期目标，我需要好好地学习新知识。我相信，XX学院的财务课程对我去提升业务会有很大的帮助。它可以使我能够以最佳的方式来管理自己的投资和利润。我也愿意以我的能力为这所大学做出贡献。我会坚定地按照学校的各项要求来规范自己。因此，毫无疑问，XX学院的财务课程是我追求学业和职业上发展的必然选择。
文章9
Prompt: Describe a setback that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happened in the future, how would you react?
"Piqué and arabesque. Hold! One, two and arabesque penchée!" The voice of my ballet teacher resounded in my ear. I was breathless and soaked with sweat, but I did not want to stop dancing on the floor. I was too in love with dance.
Ever since I first grabbed the bar and learned how to grand plié as a seven year old girl, I have been passionate about dance. Once I was able to enroll in the major class at my studio, I decided to dedicate my life and future career to dance. Six days out of the week, I devoted two hours to dance class and additional hours practicing at the studio once rehearsal was dismissed. My world revolved around dance and I thought it would never change.
Without warning, change did occur. My doctor diagnosed me with Achilles tendonitis and scoliosis and strongly recommended that I stop dancing. His bold suggestion worried my parents, who were already not supportive of my interest in dance. I, however, was willing to endure the pain so that I could continue. After hours of crying and arguing, I narrowly persuaded my parents to agree to a compromise in which I would take "a break" from dancing and instead focus on physical therapy and acupuncture.
I was helpless. Even though I insisted that I would recover and return to the dance studio, I could sense it was a crisis in my life as a dancer. However, this catastrophe later turned out to be a valuable opportunity for reflection. With my aspirations of dance crushed, I had to reevaluate my future and avoid falling into despair or complaining about my situation. Did I really want to dance for my rest of life? Was dance the thing I was truly passionate about or was it something that I felt obligated to continue? Once I started to look at dancing from different perspectives, I felt surprisingly free. In light of my new situation, other opportunities were revealed to me.
Following the summer of 2006, I chose the most appealing option, which was the prospect to go to America. I also quit dancing. It was shocking news for my friends and family and I was equally anxious about what my future would bring. However, I am now living in America, learning and experiencing things that I never even considered. My setback taught me that I should never be afraid of change or opportunity though it might be difficult to break the pattern of my life. No matter what hardships I have to face in the future, I will not surrender to fear. I will take these unavoidable setbacks as chances to mature by remembering that change is an element of life.“旋转，阿拉贝斯，保持姿势! 一，二，再来，阿拉贝斯，前倾”芭蕾老师的声音回荡在我的耳畔。我已经浑身是汗，喘不上气了，但是我不想停止舞蹈，因为它是我的最爱。
还是一个7岁大的小女孩时，我生平第一次抓住扶手，学习了如何做大蹲。从那时起，我对舞蹈产生了极大的热情。当开始在舞蹈房里参加主要舞蹈课程的时候，我决定把我的生命和将来的事业都贡献给舞蹈事业。我每周的六天里每天花两个小时参加舞蹈课，在彩排结束后，我也会再花些时间进行额外的练习。我的生活时刻围绕着舞蹈旋转，我当时认为这种情况不会改变。
毫无预示，一些转变悄然而至。医生诊断出我有跟腱炎和脊柱侧凸的病症，并强烈建议我停止舞蹈。我的父母很久之前就不是很支持我跳舞，医生直白的建议让他们特别忧虑。然而，我自己很愿意去忍受疼痛来继续舞蹈。在哭闹了几个小时之后，我稍微说服了父母。我们达成了妥协，我答应他们停止舞蹈一段时间，把精力放在物理和针刺治疗上。
尽管坚称身体会恢复，然后重新回到舞蹈教室，我依然很无助，这是我的舞蹈生涯中最大的危机。然而后来我想想这次浩劫也是我宝贵的一次经历。对舞蹈的渴望被粉碎后，我不得不重新评估我的未来，避免绝望或抱怨。我是否真的想下半辈子一直这样跳下去？我是不是真的对舞蹈很钟爱？我是不是有义务把它当成必须坚持下去的事业？当我开始重新从不同的角度审视舞蹈时，我却意外地获得了自由的感觉。根据我目前的状况，我早晚会寻找新的机会。
在接下来2006年的那个夏天，我做了最吸引我的一个选择，那就是前往美国。我放弃了舞蹈，这对于我的朋友家人来说是足以让他们震惊的一个消息。对于未来，我也同样的焦虑，但我现在生活在美国，学习和经历着我从未想过的知识和事情。我的挫折告诉我不要害怕改变，尽管去改变固有的生活方式确实是很难的一件事。不论将来要面对什么样的困难，我都不会恐惧投降，因为改变本身就是生活的一部分，所以我会把挫折当成是自己走向成熟的机会。
文章10
Prompt: Describe a setback that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happened in the future, how would you react?
Lack of focus was a reoccurring theme in high school. My family had given up on trying to figure out what was causing my uninterested state and casually blamed my aloof attitude on hereditary factors. High school was replete with lax behavior and procrastination, and homework was easily put aside. My life was not a clear path paved with goals and motivation. In contrast, the path I saw ahead was foggy and unclear.
By a narrow margin, I was accepted to a state university and decided I would be more assertive in tackling my issues with focusing on academics. The realization that this was my second chance ignited a newfound motivation and hope was instilled. My grades, however, continued to wane and out of frustration I decided to see a psychiatrist. After numerous tests, my psychiatrist diagnosed me with Attention Deficit Disorder and began prescribing a stimulant, Adderall. Immediately I felt the effects, and my grades drastically improved. School became easy for me not because it made me more intelligent, but because I had a voracious appetite for learning.
Common side-effects of Adderall are irritation, lack of sleep, a suppressed appetite, and significant weight-loss. What drug companies rarely publicize, however, is the reality that one pill can alter one's way of living a normal life. With Adderall one is essentially forced to focus on each and every task at hand. My daily routines became obsessive and unnecessary. Along with the tremendous amount of focus, I felt a synthetic form of euphoria that created an aura of motivation that I was not used to. While I could manage to live with little sleep and minor irritation, my reliance on Adderall that slowly progressed was not something I was willing to accept for the sake of better grades.
While watching television during one of many sleepless nights, an unexpected answer to my ongoing problem with focus came into light. An infomercial starring a wide-eyed, energetic, exercise guru emphasized a point that I had been missing. A combination of exercise and mental strength could improve my focus. Being on the verge of hopelessness and seemingly out of any other options, I decided I would explore this method and directly confront my ongoing problem with Attention Deficit Disorder in a healthier manner.
Exercise became my life. I had a new desire to strengthen my will power and attempt to increase the time I could focus during lectures in college. The results were minimal and excruciatingly slow. Although I was on the brink of frustration and about to give up, I gathered enough will power to continue with my regimen. Finally, after four months of exercise and focusing programs I began to feel as if I had turned a new chapter in my life; one without the reliance on medication. My grades began to improve and the haze that once occupied the path of my life began to clear.
In a society obsessed with quick and easy solutions to everyday setbacks, I was once one of the many desperate people that searched for an effortless answer to all of my problems. Through overcoming this setback I've come to the conclusion that in most cases, ongoing problems require rehabilitation that is typically difficult and rigorous. Although the easier option is tempting, I have realized through this experience that most complex setbacks are to be dealt with intricate and long-term resolutions.
读高中的时候，我的精力就常常不能集中。父母不再努力查找我走神的原因，只会偶尔把我的漫不经心归因于遗传因素。所以我整个高中的状态基本就是懒懒散散，拖拖沓沓，家庭作业也随便丢在一边。我的生活没有目标，也没什么志向。相反，未来对我来说既遥远又模糊。
我勉勉强强被一所州立大学录取，也信心满满决定解决这个问题并努力集中精力在学术上。想到这就是我第二次机会，我突然有了动力，同时也有了希望。然而，我的成绩却依然下滑。我备受打击，决定去看心理医生。经过无数测试之后，医生诊断结果为注意力缺损障碍，并给我开了一种具有刺激性质的处方药——阿德拉尔。服药后，我很快就感觉它的效果，我的成绩急剧上升。上学对我来说变得很容易，但并不是因为它把我变得更智慧，而是我的学习欲望开始强烈。
阿尔德拉常见的副作用就是使人变得暴躁、失眠、食欲不振，并且体重下滑。但是，药品公司很少公布给大众的信息是一个药片足以改变一个人正常的生活方式。吃过阿尔德拉之后，人基本上就被强迫去把精力集中于手头的每一个任务，其他日常事务基本无法顾及，其他事情也变得没有必要。随着强度的剧烈增强，我感觉到一种虚幻的愉悦，它构建了一种让我不习惯的工作推动力。尽管我可以承受这种严重缺乏睡眠和经常发些小脾气的生活，但仅仅为了更好的成绩，对阿德拉尔日益增强的依赖并不是我所愿意接受的。
在一个无眠的夜里，我看着电视却意外发现一个能解决我长期以来注意力无法集中的问题的方法。电视上一个睁大双眼、活力四射的健身教练主演的电视广告片强调了我一直忽视的一点，那就是锻炼和意志的结合。它可以加强我的注意力。我已经濒临崩溃且别无选择，所以决定我试试这个方法，用一种健康的方式来解决注意力缺乏障碍的问题。
从此体育锻炼成为了我生活一部分。我开始渴望加强我的意志力并试图延长我在学校里集中注意力听课的时间，但成效甚微且过程极其痛苦漫长。屡经挫折，我几乎要放弃，但还是聚集足够的意志力继续强化训练疗法。最后经过4个月的锻炼和注意力集中训练，我开始感觉到我的人生翻开了新的一页。我成了一个不用依赖任何药物的人。我的成绩开始进步，一度阻碍我前行的迷雾也散开了，我的未来之路变得清晰可见。
在盲目追求快速简易解决日常问题的社会里，我曾经是众多绝望并追寻省力解决方法的人中的一员。在克服自己的这个困难后，我得出结论，在大多数情况下，解决顽固的问题是最为艰难和痛苦的。虽然见效快的方法十分诱人，但慢性的问题还是应该使用综合且长期的解决方法。
文章11
Prompt: Evaluate a significant experience, achievement, risk you have taken, or ethical dilemma you have faced and its impact on you.
It all boils down to this. I am the last of the candidates to make my speech – to "sell" myself. Pacing around the back of my school hall, I desperately attempt to achieve a suitable eloquence as an all too familiar name resounds in the distance. "Please welcome C onto the stage!"
It's crunch time.
Quickly gathering the last shreds of my confidence, I take a deep breath and step onto the stage. The microphone weighs down my hand like a brick of responsibility and expectations. Slowly but surely, I open my mouth, and begin to deliver months of work in two, short-lived minutes.
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It all started in the younger years of my secondary education. The cafeteria had just inducted a new product into their menus and I was dying for a taste. After a long queue, I had finally reached the counter; drooling with anticipation, I placed my order: "Sausage roll please!" I was handed a surprisingly plain-looking pastry. Casting my doubts aside, I promptly requested: "Ketchup please!" To my disdain, they did not have ketchup. I was rightfully enraged. Steadfast in my beliefs in the importance of adequate condiments with my food, I immediately brought the issue up with the Cafeteria Head. It is safe to say our school now serves ketchup.
Although infinitesimal, the change I made left me hungry for more. I marveled at the idea of being able to make a positive change – leaving my mark on a community that can be appreciated for decades to come. And as I grew, so did my ambition. Inevitably, I jumped at the opportunity when it was announced that the school was electing the new Student Council President.
Despite my enthusiasm, this was not an easy prospect. My competition was fierce to say the least; The Deputy Head Boy, The Debating Captain, The Scholarship Award Winner, and then there was me – the ketchup boy with no outstanding credentials. It was clear that I was the underdog.
However, I did possess one quality, which made me unique. This was my passion. The other candidates had already left their mark on the school; on the other hand, I had yet to, because this was what I had been waiting for, this was my opportunity. While Student Council President would be just another trophy among many for the other candidates, I knew without a doubt that would commit one hundred and ten percent to the position.
Nonetheless, the odds were stacked against me and my peers dismissed my ambition as hopeless and fanatical. I quickly became ambivalent towards my candidacy as doubts filled my head. For two grueling weeks, I battled with public and self doubt, aimlessly struggling to determine whether my pursuit was worth continuing. As I hit a breaking point, I recalled a quote from Rudyard Kipling's If, "if you can trust yourself when all men doubt you". I knew I couldn't give up that easily. Something deep down told me that if I would regret it for the rest of my life if I did.
With a newfound confidence, I mustered all of my strength and got to work. Armed with my homemade sandwich board and makeshift flag, I shamelessly paraded the school grounds while the other candidates relied on their established prestige. Soon, my persistence had paid off; I had gained large support from peers who only weeks ago were in doubt.
People still question the vast amount of time and energy I devoted to my campaign when the chance of success seemed indefinite. My response is always the same, "it's about the journey, not the destination". It was the experience of chasing a dream, overcoming obstacles and persevering against monumental odds that has changed my approach to life for the better. Assuming this potential leadership position has compelled me to aim higher, replacing my aloofness with a sense of purpose. What started out to be a simple two-minute speech has become a journey of self-realization.
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Silence. The hum of the fluorescent lights.
The crowd erupts in ovation. I close my eyes and sweetly savor the sudden flood of applause. What, moments ago, was nervous anxiety, is now replaced by an embracing euphoria that I will never forget.
Two weeks later, I found myself in the same position, except this time, I was introduced as the new Student Council President.
胜败在此一举。我是最后一个上台的——演讲“推销”自己。在礼堂的后面踱来踱去，正在我拼命地找寻合适的演讲语气的时候，远处传来一个熟悉的名字，“下面欢迎C上台演讲！”
关键时刻到了。
迅速收拢尚存的自信，我深吸了一口气走上了演讲台。手中的麦克风像是一块充满责任和期望的砖块。我开口了，语气缓慢而坚定，我开始了短短两分钟的演讲，讲述我这几个月的工作。
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一切从我上中学的时候说起。餐厅的菜单上新增了一种新的菜品，我很想品尝一下。经过很长时间的排队等候，我终于到了柜台前，对于美味我已经垂涎欲滴。我开始点餐“要香肠肉卷”，可是递给我的是一个品相很一般的油酥糕点。停止狐疑，我立即说道“番茄酱”。让我很吃惊的是他们都没有番茄酱。我当然很愤怒，因为我坚信为食物提供足够的调料品是非常重要的。于是我立即找餐厅主管反映了这个问题。可以肯定的是，现在学校餐厅提供番茄酱。
虽然只是一件小事，但是这让我有了更多的期待。后来，我惊奇地发现，通过给社区带来积极的变化，我就可以在社区留下美好的印象。随着我长大，我就更加有雄心壮志。理所当然，在学校宣布要选出新的学生会主席的时候，我很欣然地去挑战了。
虽然我很有热情，这可不是一项简单的工作。简言之，竞争非常激烈。学生会副主席、辩论队队长、奖学金获奖者，然后还有我——没有任何突出证书的那个番茄酱男孩儿。很明显，我败局已定。
然而，有一点使我与众不同，那就是我的激情。其他候选人已经在学校留下了自己的印记，可是我却没有。另外，我必须参加这次竞选，因为我为这次机会已经等了很久了。当学生会主席对很多其他的选材者来说，只是众多奖品中的一项，但毫无疑问我自己会为这个职位作出110%的贡献。
即便如此，舆论对我不利，同伴说的竞选盲目且无望打击我的信心，很快，我满脑子都是对自己参加这次竞选的怀疑。在痛苦的两周中，我跟舆论斗争，跟狐疑斗争，漫无目的地思考我对目标的追求是否值得坚持下去。当我即将崩溃的时候，我想起了Rudyard Kipling说的一句话：“当所有人怀疑你的时候，你得相信你自己。”然后我知道了我不能这么轻易地放弃，内心深处有声音告诉我，要是我放弃的话，我一辈子都会后悔。
重获自信，我集中了所有的力量开始忙活了。其他参选者仰仗他们已有的名气的时候，我胳膊下夹着自制广告牌和简易棋子，厚着脸皮地在操场上游行。不久以后，我的执着终于有了回报。我得到了两周前对我持怀疑态度的人们的支持。
人们仍然在质疑，我为什么会为毫无胜算的竞选投入大量的时间和精力。我的回答一直是一样的。“重要的不是结果而是过程。”正是追求梦想、消除阻碍、坚韧不拔地应对困难的经历使我的生活越来越好。假设这个潜在的职位使我有了更高的目标，冷漠被理想所取代。两分钟简单的演讲就成了一段我的自省。
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大厅里安静下来，只剩下荧光灯发出的嗡嗡声。
听众开始喝彩。我闭上眼睛，尽情地享受这突如其来的如潮掌声。刚才的胆怯现在已经被我终生难忘的畅快感觉所取代。
两周后，站在相同的地方，我获得了学生会主席的职位。
文章12
Eyes are drawn to the speck in the pool lane as it claws its way through the cold blue water, last to complete the lap. As it grasps the end of the pool, gasping for air, finished with its race, it looks around to the lanes beside it. It realizes that the others are not in those lanes anymore, that the others have already completed their race some time ago. As it climbs out of the pool, it looks at itself in the reflection of the water. It knows it must go back to the drawing board, that it must prepare once again for the next time it meets the water.
Prior to swimming, I had never experienced an activity that required such brute mental and physical strength. The pressure to beat the clock, to beat exhaustion, both mental and physical, especially for a seventh grader on a high school swimming team like I was at the time, was something I early on found almost unbearable. To survive in the pool each day was a struggle, with regimens filled with never-ending sets that totaled into the thousands in yards. That coupled with relentless swim meets, persistently testing my personal strength and resilience, made it even more difficult.
To swim on with the team required much more than physical strength; it also required mental strength. As one of the younger swimmers on the team, and one of the slower at the time, I found it hard to swim up to par with the others in the pool. Many times I questioned myself, as did many of those around me. I wondered whether this hard work was worth it, whether I could go on any further, whether I would improve and whether my hard work would go on noticed. But despite uncertainty hanging over, I continued forward. I knew I had to persevere, to prove to myself and to others that I had what it took to succeed. "Difficulty need not foreshadow despair or defeat."
Serious progression in swimming would not happen overnight. It would have to happen slowly over time. I began to push myself, farther than I ever did before. I began to swim through the mental exhaustion, and personal dubiousness. Besides strengthening my mental capacity, I began to refine my swimming technique as I grew in level, and learn things I would never have learned if I abandoned the sport earlier on. Besides learning to swim competitively, which was my short-term goal, I also learned about leadership, and character from the others on the team.
Over time, my extra hours in the pool, and my push caught up with me, and I began to move up in rank with improving swim times. Over the years, I swam faster and faster, and earned position in more valued races. I earned respect from my swim mates and most of all, understanding of myself and my strengths along the way. Although I faced great opposition in the pool, and started from the very bottom, I struggled and climbed my way out to the top. Looking back, I feel pride knowing what I accomplished, and what barriers I swam through to get where I am now.
所有的眼球都被吸引到了泳道里的小点上，此时它正在冰冷蓝色的水中不断地开辟自己前进的道路，直到完成整个比赛。当它抓到泳池的一边到达终点时，喘着粗气，它环视了身边的整个泳池。此刻它意识到其他人已经完成比赛并且离开泳池有一会了。当它爬出泳池时，望着自己在水中的倒影。它知道必须要回到起跳板上来为下一次入水做准备。
在学游泳之前，我没有参加过像这样需要强壮身体和坚强意志的运动。那时，作为高中七年级游泳队的一员，战胜时间；战胜身体和精神上的疲惫感，这些对我来说是不可能的。我每天都要在泳池的生活里奋斗着。在强化训练课上充满了永无休止的超过上千次的起跳准备，再加上不断地检验个人力量和恢复能力的入水训练，我的处境更加艰难了。
要想赶上队里的其他队员需要的不只是体力，还需要头脑。作为队里年龄较小的队员之一，并且是速度最慢的人之一，我觉得在泳池里追赶其他人是很困难的。许多次我都像别人一样质疑自己的能力。我怀疑自己的努力是否值得，是否自己还能继续，是否还能进步，是否我的努力会得到认可。尽管疑问笼罩在心头，我依然继续努力训练，因为我知道必须用坚持来证明给自己和别人看我有取得成功的潜质。“困难并不总是预示着失望或失败。”
要想在游泳上取得巨大飞跃并非一日之功。这个过程需要持续很久。我开始超越从前，推动自己进步。我在游泳过程中战胜了精神上的疲倦，并消除了对自己的怀疑。结果是不但自己的意志品质得到了锻炼，而且自己的游泳技巧也开始提升到新的水平。如果当初放弃了游泳，我就不可能达到今天的水平。我现在的短期目标是达到与他人竞赛的水平，除此之外，我也想变得与众不同。
随着时间的流逝，在泳池里额外训练花费的时间和前进的动力让我受益。随着比赛次数的增多，我的排名也开始上升。几年之中，我游得越来越快，并且可以在重要的比赛中取得名次了。慢慢的，我从队友那里开始赢得了尊重。在这整个过程中，我认为最重要的是我不断地了解了自己及所具备的能力。尽管从零开始，我在泳池中遇到了很大的困难，却仍然努力拼搏，最终达到了顶峰。回顾过去，我为自己所取得的成就和为此所克服的苦难而感到无比荣耀。
文章13
As soon as I put on my Domino Pizza’s hat, I heard a high-pitched sound, "Wendy, get two trays of 12 inch medium deep dish dough for me!" Still tying on an apron, I ran to the cooler with the hat lying crooked on my head.
After desperately searching for two minutes, I was relieved when a demanding voice trumpeted, "Wendy, pizzas are falling out, where are you?"
Running back to the front of the store with two empty hands, I grabbed the huge, heavy spatula and took out the pizza as slowly as I could, assuring not to drop it.
Just as I slid the pizza into the box, my manager’s monotonous B flat voice sounded, "Wendy, can’t you see all lines are on hold? Stay in the front counter."
As I rushed to the front counter and pressed Line One, I stuttered "Thank you for choosing Domino’s" and cautiously took the customer’s order. I blew a sigh of relief as I finished taking my second official order. However, my contentment was crushed when my manager looked at me with a disapproving look and said, "Wendy, how many times do I have to tell you, this order doesn’t belong to our area."
This was three years ago when I first started working at Domino Pizza. During that time, I was excluded from the "Domino’s family". Whenever it was busy in the store, nobody had the time to train me. Whenever the store slowed down, everyone would become socializing, and unwilling to "waste" any time on me. Feeling so depressed, I began to doubt about my working ability. Even so, I would always give it another shot, hoping that things would be better.
However, things still remained-the clamor of noises did not attenuate. After a week there, I returned home feeling worthless. It seemed like I was capable of nothing. With all the cacophony of my co-workers’ complaints in my head, I felt cared to go back to work, thinking about quitting.
I went to school the next Monday when my friend Jenny detected my sadness and asked me to a hip-hop dance class.
The moment I stepped into the dance room, my eardrums were filled with sonorous music consisting of strong beats. I awkwardly tried to coordinate my body to move with the music when I noticed a girl smirking at me. I felt my face suddenly turned up ten degrees. However, I did not stop but forced myself to do all movements to the full extent. Looking at the clumsy body moving in the mirror, I smiled out of self-contentment. In the end, I could even start doing turns, side glides, harlem shakes, and crip walks, though not so perfectly.
I learnt from this experience that I could do anything well if I had nothing to fear and had a deeper understanding of the sentence "If you doubt yourself, then indeed you stand on shaky ground."
Then I returned to work with confidence and immersed myself totally into my work, oblivious of any complaint. Gradually, I could make pizzas faster and prettier; my co-workers stopped criticizing me, and my manager would only encourage me.
Three months later, I received my first raise; after another two months, I received the second. After several raises throughout the years, my manager said to me, "I can’t give you any more raises, you have the highest pay in all thirteen franchise stores already". I smiled.
Three years passed. With my Domino Pizza’s hat firmly on my head, I clocked in. While I constantly switched from making pizzas to taking phone calls and to handling the oven, I was also thinking about the big orders for tomorrow, and conjecturing a schedule for next week. Now, the store is filled with my voice, either calling out demands, or telling drivers to drive safe. Everyone in Domino Pizza likes me.
Throughout the years of work in Domino Pizza, I experienced the period of disappointment, doubt in the beginning and had almost quitted, but eventually I overcame all difficulties and made a success. I must thank Domino’s Pizza, which not only made me more confident, but also helped me get a glimpse of what life is truly like- as Robert Collier said, "You have to sow before you can reap; you have to give before you can get."
当我戴上达美乐比萨饼店的帽子时，我听到一声高叫，“温迪，帮我拿两盘12寸中号深碟面团。”围着围裙，帽子还软软地趴在头上的我跑向了冷库。
在匆忙地找了两分钟后，一个像喇叭一样命令的声音再次响起，“温迪，比萨快烤过了，你在哪？”
两手空空，我又马上跑回到了商店的柜台。我抓起了又大又重的铲子，为了防止比萨掉到地上，以最慢的速度把比萨取了出来。
刚把比萨放到盒子里，经理单调的像臭虫一样的声音进入了我的耳朵里，“温迪，你没看到所有的电话线路都在等人接吗？到柜台那里待着。”
我随即冲到了前台并且按了一号线，结结巴巴地说：“谢谢选择达美乐比萨店。”并且认真地记录了客户所点的比萨。当完成第二份正式订单后，我长出了一口气放松了下来。然而我的满足感很快又被经理粉碎。他看着我一脸不以为然地说道，“温迪，我要告诉你多少次，这个客人订的比萨，我们这没有。”
这是三年前我刚到这家比萨店工作时的情景。在那段时间里，我仿佛被排除在“达美乐大家庭”之外一样。每当店里繁忙的时候，没有人有空来培训我。而当店里闲下来的时候，每个人却又开始忙着互相交流，没有人愿意在我身上浪费时间。我开始感到压抑，甚至开始怀疑自己的工作能力。虽然如此，我还是想再试一试，希望情况能变好。
然而，一切照旧——我耳边的大叫声从未削弱。一个星期后，我回到家里，感觉自己一无是处，对社会没什么价值。同事刺耳的抱怨声总是在脑袋里回荡，我对这个工作开始感到厌烦并且想要放弃了。
接下来的周一，我去了学校，我的朋友珍妮发现了我的悲伤，所以她邀请我一起去上街舞课。
走进街舞教室的那一刻，我的耳膜里充满了轰轰的节奏感很强的音乐声。我蹩脚地开始尝试让自己的身体动作与音乐协调上，这时我发现一个女孩在看着我傻笑。我感觉自己脸上的温度立即升高了10度。然而，我并没有停下来，相反我强迫自己以最大幅度去做所有的动作。看着镜子里自己笨拙的动作，我笑了起来，自我感觉良好。经过多次训练后，我甚至可以做旋转、侧向滑步、哈莱姆摆动、小丑舞步这些动作，虽然还不是很完美。
这次经历使我认识到，如果可以无所畏惧，自己其实可以完成任何事情，这也对“如果你怀疑自己，那么你的立足点确实不稳固了”这句话的深层理解。
所以我怀着自信回到了工作岗位，全身心地投入其中并把所有的抱怨声抛在脑后。渐渐地，我可以更快更好地做比萨了，同事们也不再指责我，经理也开始鼓励我。
3个月后，我第一次涨了工资，两个月后又涨了一次。在几年之中经过几次加薪之后，经理对我说：“我不能再给你加工资了，你的工资在13家专营店里已经是最高的了。”我笑了。
转眼3年过去了。我手里紧紧地攥着达美乐比萨店的帽子，打卡上班了。我每天的工作总是不断地做比萨、接电话、用烤炉之间转换，但与此同时也开始想着第2天的大订单并猜着下一周的计划。现在，我也敢大声地招呼别人工作和提醒送餐的司机小心开车了，并且这个声音经常回荡在整个商店。达美乐比萨店的每个人现在都很喜欢我。
在达美乐比萨店工作的这些年中，我度过了那段几乎让我放弃的失望期和疑惑期，也体验了克服困难，最终取得成功的感觉。我一定要谢谢这家商店，因为它不仅让我变得更加自信，并且让我看到了生活的本来面目，就像罗伯特·柯里尔说的那样，“没有播种就没有收获，没有付出也就没有回报。”
文章14
I am an eraser. I extinguish mistakes and allow corrections. I erase the imperfections of myself because I am terrified of being flawed. Exactness affixes itself on me; teeth penetrate deeply into me, devouring my blunders, erasing them completely. This needs to be flawless thwarted my capability to let things go, a labyrinth I cannot find an end to. Although people say this is a virtuous trait, I find it as an affliction and a forte because it distances me from living a life without torturing myself over the imperfections of this world; but also my strength, permitting me to do finest work. But I kept asking myself, "Why am I like this?"
I am in my 3nd year at M High School and I was able to get here without much struggle. Becoming the first member to graduate high school and attend college in my family is a gift. I have always been a scholar since I was young; I always had an insatiable hunger for learning and engrossing myself in various subjects. As a result, I have always excelled in the world of academics and this was the greatest pride and joy for my parents. I offered honor to my family name, my sole purpose to propel myself further. My parents shared the same sentiment and assisted me in any way possible. Completing high school and attending a university is a must.
As each school year passed, it became increasingly difficult to keep an academic foothold. I felt like I was no longer on flat land, but on the edge of a cliff. I found myself in a trepid state. By the end of my junior and beginning of my senior year I have given up nights to study vigorously for the two trials that will eventually become my future. In my attempts to successfully score high on those exams, I have failed. I have failed to meet my parents' standard; those terrifying glares that penetrated my core. Those fixed stares of my infuriated parents slowly and brutally attacked my confidence. They did not help to alleviate my shame. They tried to help me by adding supplementary and weekend classes to my schedule, scrounging up every penny to provide for my education. I understood their cause, but my dignity could not stand more. Those scores snickered and mocked at my every conceivable weakness and I gave in. My forte was no longer supporting me. My A's became B-'s and B+'s and mistakes ran ludicrously over my assignments. I became so frightened that I would no longer try. This deep abyss of depression grasped onto my life, and it was time for me to erase its existence.
I reflected on how and why I was in this state to begin with. I could not believe I had even considered giving up in my academics. Then I realized that there were two types of people in this world, those who realize and do nothing and those who confront and fix their mistakes. Some people do not resign themselves to what is handed to them and in an effort, correct their faults. That was me. I realize that if my grades did not meet my standards, I did not try hard enough, if my nights studying was not enough, I did not study hard enough. I was the protagonist in my own life instead of being an antagonist. My ambitions for college have been cultivated in this vision of always studying and advancing and any obstacle obstructing me must be defeated. I learned about resilience and about being steadfast in the face of adversity. I learned to be more diligent and now when I want something, I charge forward like an enraged ram, dashing until my ambitions are met. I know these qualities will help me excel in college as they have helped me arise triumphantly in my turbulent years.
我是一块橡皮擦，我能抹掉错误，允许对它们重新修正。我去除自身瑕疵，因为缺陷令我恐惧。同时我要求自身平整，深深的刻痕证明了身上的瑕疵被彻底地去除。为了具备这种能力，我需要保持完美无瑕，而且不断地进行迷宫一样永无止境的自我修正。尽管人们说这是一个高尚的品质，但我觉得这个特长也是种苦恼，因为它让我只想着去消除这个世界上的瑕疵，却没有别的生活。某种意义上这是对我的折磨。我的能力是让自己尽量做到最好，但我禁不住问自己“我为什么要这样生活？”
我就读于M高中的三年级并且在学业的道路上没有太多的问题。能够成为家族里第一个高中毕业并且升入大学的人，这对于家人来说是一份礼物。从小时候开始，我就具备了学者气质。我全身心投入各个学科的学习并且对知识有着持续的渴望且从未满足，结果是，我在学业上表现得十分出色，同时这也为父母带来了无比的荣耀和快乐，家族的名誉因我而增光不少。我的目标只是想要不断取得学习上的进步，父母对此有着同样的想法并尽其所能来帮助我，所以完成高中学业，并进入一所大学对于我来说是必须要做到的事情。
随着年级不断升高，要保持学业上的得心应手变得越来越难，这种感觉就像是面前的平坦的大地慢慢地消失，最终变成了陡峭的山崖一样。我自己开始感到不安。上完高二，升入高三之后，我熬夜苦读，为决定我未来命运的两门考试做准备。为了在这两门考试中取得好成绩，我拼命学习，但结果是以失败告终。我辜负了父母的期望。别人愠怒的目光刺入了我的心灵，而父母对我愤怒的凝视也残忍地掠去了我的自信。没有帮助我消除耻辱感，相反他们尽其所能把每分钱都花在我的教育上，在我的计划里加上了更多课外作业和周末的课程。我很理解这其中的原因，但自尊心却不能忍受。那些分数仿佛在不断地嘲笑着我所有的缺点，最终我气馁了，我之前学习上的优势也不见了踪影。我的分数从A变成了B-和B+，作业上也开始出现可笑的低级错误。对此，我很是恐慌，学习也不再努力。我坠入了沮丧的深渊。是时候去消除这一切了。
我开始回想自己怎么会到达这样的地步的。我很难接受甚至想要放弃学业的这种想法。经过思索，我意识到在这个世界上有两种人，一种是明明知道困难存在，但只会无所事事，而另一种则会迎难而上去克服困难。面对突如其来的困难，有些人不会退缩而是会尽力地克服它们。这就是我的观点。我想如果成绩不过关，说明我学习上努力得还不够，如果彻夜苦读不足的话，说明我学习仍然不够刻苦。在自己的生命中我一向充当正面人物而非反面角色。我要一直前进并且克服所有阻挠我的障碍。我上大学的决心就是在这样的想法之下，不断地成长和强大。我明白了在逆境下要有韧性和坚强的性格。我变得更加勤奋，现在如果想要得到什么，我会像一头愤怒的公羊一样不停地向目标奔跑。困苦中所获得的这些品质让我成功地重新站了起来，所以我相信它们也一定会让自己在大学里变得更加优秀。
文章15
The turbulent water crashed the raft hardly in the downward torrent. A sharp turn almost upset the raft, but I was still shouting crazily and trying my best to keep balance. The weak raft, however, was finally beaten by the enormous nature, which harassed the raft constantly until it inverted in the water. "Let it go!" shouted the lifeguard on the shore to me, but I was still grasping a string of the raft by my right hand until my whole body was impacted horizontally, like a flying superman, waiting for a chance to get back to the raft. The torrent finally threw me onto the shore; the sharp rocks in the water had made scratches all over my body. The lifeguard couldn’t see my face clearly because of the blood on my face, but as he got closer, he saw that I was laughing…
Since I was young, I have always been interested in all kinds of challenges, which provide my parents a whole bunch of challenges, too! Being beaten badly by some senior students after I challenged them on debate, having a nail stabbed in my leg after I tried to show Australian students some Chinese Kung Fu on a bus, and falling badly after I sped too fast on a skateboard during my first time skating, I always get lots of awkwardly failed attempts. However, I never stop from taking challenges, because at least my cheeky tries have brought me something, sometimes. For example, I became the youngest member of my school debate team, I received a brave prize in an Australian hospital, and I became one of the best skaters in my school. I always get a sense of satisfaction and fulfillment from those challenges.
Among all the indispensable challenges I took in my not-so-long life, soccer is undoubtedly my favorite. As a member of the school soccer team since grade 7, I spent much time and energy on soccer. My grade 7 soccer life was what people describe as "tragic" – carrying heavy bags for the coach before and after every single match, transferring coach’s messages to every single player, and playing on a match only during the "garbage time", I was the kind of guy who other people think should slapped himself, bit himself, and hided himself in the dirt; however, I, the insane sculler, enjoyed this "tragic" life! It was not only because I love soccer, but also because I was a freaky guy who liked to challenge himself to improve and stupefy other people’s eye balls out one day! So I engaged in my tragedy, and always tried my best at training and every precious chance I could play on a match.
In one year, I got huge promotion: from "garbage time guy" to qualified substitute, then to first team member, and finally to a unique defender of the team. During the XieHe international championship, I led the team to the top of the league! That’s when I became the captain of the team, and that’s also when I constantly felt pain from my back. One day during the training, I was suddenly attacked by the pain from back and fell on the ground. I was sent to a hospital and was told that my spine is longer and thinner than other people’s, a kind of developmental deformity, which means that I couldn’t play soccer anymore. Although I had begged my coach to let me play, I was only allowed to do light trainings. That was the first time I couldn’t laugh when I thought about soccer. The insane sculler, however, doesn’t like the taste of failure. I did lots of functional trainings and fitness conditionings in order to exercise my spine and to show all the people that I was still one of the best players in the team! A few months later, I was finally allowed to stand on the stage again, to express my talent, and to risk my life! My soccer career would go on…
Life is a constant challenge, because sometimes after you gain the fruit with long time hard-work, you can lose it in an irresistible moment. My family moved to Canada in September of 2009. Ocean way from my friends and my soccer team, I was just a rookie to the new school, new surroundings, and new country. Some people may feel frustrated, but for an "insane sculler", that’s just another exciting time to show! Winning the campaign of the vice-president of Student Counsel, getting the principle list certificate, eating breakfast with the principle as a reward of the academic achievement, I am embracing more and more challenges.
One passion, simple but overwhelming strong, has governed my life. It motives me to reach it regardless of hidden danger and physical barriers. What is this passion? I can’t really define it, but I can clearly tell myself that challenge is the air of my life. Just like what Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "The ultimate measure of a person is not where they stand in moments of comfort and convenience, but where they stand in times of challenge and controversy." Without challenges, life will become colorless. I will always advance bravely, because I want to be the helmsman of my life!
汹涌的河水沿着急流向下凶猛地撞击着筏子。突然一个急转几乎把筏子掀翻，但是我仍然疯狂地叫着，以最大的努力保持平衡。直到最终筏子倾翻在水里为止，大自然仍不断地折磨着它。终究脆弱的筏子还是被强大的自然力量击败。“放手！”岸上的救生员向我喊道，但是我希望有机会重新回到筏子上，所以我的右手仍然抓着筏子的一条绳子,直到我的身体被冲成了水平方向，就像是在飞行的超人一样。但急流还是把我甩到了岸上而水中锋利的岩石让我全身布满伤痕。当时因为我脸上有血，救生员无法看清我的表情，直到他走近了才发现，原来我一直在笑……
因为年轻，我一直对各种挑战都很感兴趣，当然这些兴趣也给父母带来了一连串的挑战! 我总是进行着许多令我蒙羞的失败尝试。例如，在与高年级学生的辩论中惨败、在公车上给澳大利亚的学生们展示中国功夫时腿里扎进钉子、第一次滑滑板时由于速度过快严重摔伤。然而，我从未放弃接受挑战，因为至少这些莽撞的尝试使我有时能够得到一些东西。比如，我成了学校辩论组最年轻的成员，在澳大利亚的医院被颁发了勇气奖，并成为学校里滑板玩得最棒的人之一。所以我总能从这些挑战里得到满足和成就感。
活到现在，在我进行过的所有不可或缺的挑战中，足球毫无疑问
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