Directions: You have 25 minutes to plan and write an essay on the given topic. Do not write on another topic, as essays not on the topic receive a score of zero. You will be scored on how clearly and effectively you express your thoughts in writing. Develop your point of view carefully, as your writing will be evaluated on quality, not quantity; but do plan on writing several paragraphs to cover the topic adequately. Write legibly (print if necessary) and be specific.
Prompt
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following quotations and the assigment below.
“The general fact is that the most effective way of utilizing human energy is through
organized competition.” —Adapted from Charles Horton Cooley
“Focus on competition has always been a formula for mediocrity.” —Daniel Burrus Assignment
Does an emphasis on competition tend to improve or harm our society? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with rea - soning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.
SAT写作范文Sample Essay
Competition has definite benefits. It encourages people and organizations to try harder and do their best. That is why American society is largely organized around competitive battles. But a balance is needed. When there is too much competition, everybody loses.
Take business as an example. When companies try to win at all costs, people often
suffer. Companies fighting for sur- vival may lower their prices, which is good for customers.
But companies locked in competition also fire workers, which can hurt thousands of
families. Sometimes managers feel driven to use unfair tactics, as when companies exploit employees by failing to pay overtime wages. Competition that is out of control can hurt average Americans.
Politics is another field where competition has gotten out of hand. At one time,
competition in politics took place only 14 during elections. Now it is constant. Politicians call one another names, accuse one another of crimes, and run ads attacking each other. The high cost of campaign ads makes it hard for candidates who aren’ t rich to be elected. No wonder many Americans say they have come to hate politics.
Now competition has even come to the T V screen. Today’s most popular shows are “reality” shows where people lie, cheat, and hurt each other. What kind of lesson about life does this send to young kids who may be watching?
We will never do away with all competition and we should not try to. But too much of a good thing can be bad, and this is true of competition.
第二篇：SAT写作满分范文鉴赏 03
Is the opinion of the majority-in government or in any other circumstances-a poor guide?
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 America’s Civil War, when slavery was prevalent, demonstrate that following majority rule often fails to respect people’s moral rights and liberty. The majority of white people in the early 1800’s 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 anning gay marriages, some may be barred from the happiness of marriage. In addition, many oppose stemcell 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. Stemcell research may save lives by using the cells to specialize in a certain area. Those who would benefit from the discoveries of stemcell research may die.