Test 3 Essay

I have heard many cynics say that it is far too optimistic to think that people are primarily motivated to do things out of the kindness of their hearts. To an extent I agree with them: if left without a moral compass, we would all tend toward evil, not good. To say that conscience is not as powerful a motivator as wealth or power, however, is a sweeping statement that deserves criticism. I believe that there is a Higher Power which directs our conscience, sometimes against our nature, toward good. I see it all the time in people I know; people who have given up wealth, power and comfort in order to serve others. Especially in the cases of Susan and David.

David was successful, to say the least. He was a straight A student with lots of potential. He went to Yale University and graduated with honours from their Business school. After graduation he worked for an affluent organization on a monthly salary of six thousand dollars. He was making lots of money and moving up the corporate ladder: everything was going for him. He was not satisfied with what he was doing, however. As a Chinese American he would often think of the country his family came from, of the people there and how poor and hopeless they were. So he quit his job and moved to China to work with the poor. He helped them build businesses and offered them Hope they had never had before. He gave up money and increasing power because his conscience directed him toward helping others. He has never been happier.

Susan was a well-off, comfortable woman from Seattle. She had a great job and lots of friends. Everyone loved Susan: she was warm, loving and always willing to serve others. She had lots of friends who traveled and lived all over the world, living with the natives and doing humanitarian work. Over a long period of time, she began to feel her conscience prick. She was so comfortable with her nice job and great friends, when so many people had nothing. The example of her friends showed her that there were other options for her. So she made a decision that shocked everyone: She moved to A----------. Many people thought she was crazy for going to such a difficult place, but she knew she was doing the right thing, so it did not matter. She moved to one of the most dangerous parts of the country and taught at a girls' school, to try and raise literacy among them. A year after she moved their, she was kidnapped and killed. It was incredibly hard to lose someone close to me in that way. It was the first time something like that had happened to me. But her example is very powerful to me. It convicts me that comfort and money and power are not important. Being willing to give up everything, even your life, for a higher cause is the most noble thing you can do.

Both David and Susan are significant models to me. Through their lives they have taught me what is truly important in life. And it is not money or power or fame. When those cynics sneer at the idea of conscience being more powerful, I point to David and Susan. They prove that the world may not be as hopelessly heartless as the cynics would like us to believe.

Murphy's Law

Murphy's Law states that "if anything can go wrong, it will, and at the worst possible moment." Some people (who obviously live in some sort of utopia) scoff at Murphy's Law, claiming that it absurd, unscientific and cannot be proved. I, however, have found ample proof that the Law is living and active.
When I was a little girl, our family lived in the former USSR. Life was not glamorous by any means, but we usually had most of the things we needed. The things we didn't need, we learned to live without. To make matters worse, we lived in a minority neighbourhood--the poorest in our city.

One fateful winter, the corrupt officials in our city decided that they didn't want to waste precious resources on minority neighbourhoods. Winters in our city were bitterly cold. But they decided to cut off our gas. We had to learn how to keep warm by wrapping layer upon layer of clothing around our frigid bodies. That cut was not enough for our lovely corrupt officials, however, so they decided to limit our running water as well. And our electricity. When it rains, it pours.

We got through that winter intact. It was not pleasant, but we survived. Through it, Murphy's Law was more than proven.

SAT practice essay #2

Evenings in my household generally look identical from one night to the next. Once homework and dishes are out of the way, we settle down to amuse ourselves. Fifty years ago, this may have involved gathering in the den, reading books, playing games or watching the Ed Sullivan show together. But in this glorious modern age it overwhelmingly involves individual, mindless entertainment. My Dad might be back in his study, watching a television show on his computer. My brother might be in his room, watching something on his television. In the living room, my mother and I can be found on two separate computers, checking Facebook or writing our friends or just lazily browsing the internet. On the upside, we are each caught up on what is happening in the world, whether it be the real one, or a fictional one we choose to lose ourselves in. On the other hand, we are wasting precious time.

The advances that make such high-tech entertainment options widely available, have stolen time which we should be dedicating to worthier investments. As a junior in high school, I will be leaving home in two years to go to college. I should be working hard to enjoy every last minute with my parents and brother before I leave them: I have a feeling I will regret giving up time to goof off with my brother so I could watch the latest episode of Psych. It is too easy to find that you have wasted hours on nothing when you could have spent it on the people you love.

Another drawback, for me personally, is the lessening value of the written word. Words are cheap nowadays. All you have to do is open up Google and you have millions of options at your fingertips. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I love the experience of going to a library or a bookstore, holding a book in my hands and pouring over the rich storehouses of literary treasure. Who would have thought that turning a page with my own fingertips would be a sensation missed. Books are personal; the time and emotion put into them by the author is more tangible. Along the same lines, technology has made letter writing obsolete. I am proudly of the generation that pioneered texting, instant messaging and email but I still get a thrill when I read a note someone wrote with their own hand.

Technology is cold. It has made our lives easier, but it has encouraged frigid individualism. Family time, book-reading, and letter writing are things which we should not let die. Technological advances are wonderful, but our lives would still be good without them.

Karzai Opponent Withdraws Amid Controversy

The opposing candidate to President Hamid Karzai in the current Afghan runoff election officially withdrew, asserting fears of fraud in the election process.
The candidate, Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, withdrew from the polls amidst speculation of corruption within the Karzai camp. After the initial election results were calculated in August roughly one third of Karzai's votes were thrown out by a panel of election monitors, who cited fraud. Since then Abdullah has been calling for reform within the system, including the resignation of many prominent Afghan officials whom he believes enabled the corruption. In his statement, Abdullah said one of his reasons for withdrawing is that his demands were not met within the government in Kabul.
The proceedings in Kabul are being watched closely by the international political community, drawing comments from leading figures such as British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, and US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Being only the second election since the fall of the Taliban and with questions of corruption already being raised, many authorities are cynical about whether the outcome will truly be a victory for democracy.
Dr. Abdullah was quick to squash rumors of a boycott and has encouraged his supporters not to demonstrate or incite any violence.
"This is not an exchange for anything from anybody. My decision was purely to give the people of Afghanistan a chance to move on," Abdullah emotionally stated.
The irony in Dr. Abdullah's statement is glaring, as his decision essentially concedes the election to Karzai, who has been president since 2001. The allegations surrounding the first round of elections suggest that Karzai could become a stereotypical Central Asian president-for-life, especially if frustrated reformers such as Abdullah continue to back down.
In light of this, however, outside political leaders remain optimistic--at least publicly.
"We hope to see an Afghan government emerge that responds to the will of the people, that reaches out to all parts of Afghan society, and that is ready to take strong action to meet the challenges that Afghanistan faces," Said British PM Gordon Brown.
The U.N. is working to conclude the elections in as timely a manner as possible, possibly naming Karzai the victor of the presidential race without the second round proceedings.