Sample 1 – Rachel Gonzalez Paper 2

Prompt: After leaving school, a student decides to travel for a year. At the end of it, the student is

invited back by his previous school to give a speech about his experience to other students. Write the

speech. In your writing, create a sense of the problems and benefits such an experience might bring.

Who are you? Where do you belong? What do you want to do with your life? These are

questions I asked myself often while I was still a student here – just like you. Maybe some of you

already have everything figured out, but if you’re anything like me, then you’re still completely

lost. In high school, there were all these different groups of people: those who were constantly

stressing over their newest assignment, those who devoted their lives to sports, those who had

lost any motivation to discover their passion, and many more. I didn’t consider myself to be a

part of any group; I cared about schoolwork enough to get decent grades, I played tennis for a

few years for fun, and sometimes I even lost motivation. But that’s not the point, the point is that

despite all of our differences, we were all tie together by this invisible rope. An invisible rope

that kept us together since elementary. An invisible rope that could only stretch up to a certain

point without breaking. An invisible rope that our parents were glad we had tied. To their

dismay, I broke the rope.

We had just graduated and as I sat there watching all my friends officially become adults,

I knew I didn’t want to go to college. I knew I couldn’t devote my life to one career without

having even lived it yet. Having lived my entire life in Forks, Washington, I hadn’t seen much

yet. Breaking the news to my parents was possibly the most difficult part of this experience.

They were disappointed and shocked that I wasn’t going to follow the path they had set for me. I

was going to officially step off the yellow brick road, making my own path along the way. They

didn’t support my decision, meaning they weren’t going to pay for any of it. Luckily for me, the

4 years of me working at the local bookshop and saving all of my birthday money paid off.

Maybe your parents will be more understanding, but if there’s any chance they won’t, here’s a

tip: save some money, you’ll definitely need it. Now that my decision was final, I was able to

convince two other friends with the same strong curiosity and desire to discover to go on the

road trip with me. Now, I wasn’t the only one breaking the invisible rope.

What was the plan? We rented a big, blue van and bought so many snacks that they filled

half the backseat up. 50 states and about a week in each, starting from the top left corner and

ending in the bottom right corner. It was amazing. You could taste the freedom in the air, and

trust me if you knew what it tasted like, you’d be even quicker than I was to travel. We had left

everything behind and it felt so good. We were free from our families. We were free from the

uncertainty. We were free from all the decisions that threatened to catch up with us. We saw so

much. We watched the stars from the floor of the Grand Canyon, we passed by State Route 1

through Big Sur, we sand-boarded at the Great Sand Dunes, we paddle-boarded on the Tidal

Basin, we went up the Stairway to Heaven, we saw the sun rise on Cadillac Mountain, we toured

the Ozark Caverns, and so much more that I can’t mention because we’d be here all day. We

were already halfway through our trip and I couldn’t even remember what it felt like being tied

back by the rope.

Now, as amazing as the experience was, we had our rocky patches that I feel like I should

let you know about. The further we advanced into the country, the less money and snacks we had

left. We had to cut breakfast out of our diet and sleep in the van when the hotels were too

expensive. It started taking a toll on us. Eventually, we even got tired of each other. I missed my

parents. I missed my bed. I even missed the feeling of comfort and security the rope had once

offered. One night we had to stop in Fargo, North Dakota. The temperature had dropped to

below 0° F and we had been forced to sleep in the van. The cold was becoming so unbearable, I

was afraid I would get frostbite. Suddenly, I heard this strange noise outside the van. I was afraid

I was starting to hallucinate, but my curiosity got the better of me. As I stepped out, I realized I

was face to face with a black bear slightly larger than me. Every instinct told me to run away or

shout for help, but I was frozen in place. I saw myself in his eyes. I saw the fear on my face. I

saw the many places we had visited in the past few months. I saw my home and my parents. I

saw my life. My life. I loved my life. Everything had been worth it because I had lived and that’s

all I wanted. I closed my eyes, a few heartbeats passed and when I opened them again he was

long gone. I had survived.

After that night, I tried my hardest to make the most out of every moment. When we went

to New York, I met this famous author. I told him about all of our experiences on the road and he

very strongly believed I should write about them. I gave it a shot and began writing for the next

two years until I contacted him again and he helped me publish my first book. It was actually a

hit – it inspired many people to explore life and all the amazing places in this world. I’ve never

stopped travelling and I’ve never stopped writing. I found myself.

So why am I here? I’m here to tell you about my experience with my road trip. I’m here

to let you know that with all the good memories, there will always be some difficult ones. I’m

here to encourage you to find yourself and do whatever you need in order to do this, whether it

be travelling or staying right here. Who am I? I’m Rachel González. Where do I belong? Out in

the world, in a new place each week. What do I want to do with my life? I want to inspire. Now,

I want you to be able to answer these questions – it doesn’t have to be now, but eventually. I

want you to live.

Word Count: 1099

Sample 2 – Victor PerazaPaper 2

Prompt: A magazine aimed at teenagers publishes an article called “Stress—What Stress?” The article

offers guidance to its readers on how to cope with preparing for different situations in life (for example,

coping with schoolwork or getting a job for the first time). Write the text for the article. In your writing,

create a sense of practical advice and positive thinking.

Stress – What Stress? By Mark Gonzalez, Editor of Teen Daily

April 12, 2018

Ever feel like this: Or like this:

Well, you’re not alone. So many people today deal with tremendous amounts of stress. Like – what! How? So much stress cannot be good for them. But why do they get stressed so stressed out? I mean, come on, there’s so many wonderful things in life to enjoy.

Exhibit A: Look at this man having a great time with his dog at the park. [see picture 1]

Teenagers, like you, can get caught up in the moment and begin to develop stress under a variety of situations, but you need to understand that there are methods to the madness in the life of a teenager. And there’s plenty of places to go for support – especially friends who can relate to your problems.

There’s Nothing to It!

As a student, having 10 AICE, 4 AP, and being captain of 5 clubs may get very serious. Everything starts off great – you’re doing just fine, there’s no projects plus the classwork is “a piece of cake.” Then – Boom! – all of a sudden you have 18 outlines, 6 analytical papers, and the final draft of your research paper is due by next class. Oh boy. And you sit there, unsure of what to do. You get ready to tackle it all, but tension starts to build, you start freaking, and finally you break. You begin to cry, yelling “Now I’ll never get into Harvard or M.I.T.” Seriously, no. Don’t be that girl/guy. There are so many ways to fight stress and rise to the challenge. The most important thing is to not let stress overwhelm you. Everything will be fine, you just have to follow these steps to deal with nerve-racking situations.

1. Try to plan ahead:

Schedule all your events on a calendar. Keeping track of things will prevent procrastination and help avoid frequent outbursts of crying – yes, I’m talking about you big fella. Now, DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT get your knickers in a twist if things don’t go as planned. Often times we get worried because “My interview got moved up by one week and I don’t feel prepared” or “Ugh! I wasted all my time playing Fortnite when I should have been doing AICE English Language homework.” First, relax – breath in, breath out. It’s perfectly fine to reschedule and plan again as long as you don’t let it happen too often of your will find yourself crying again.

2. Take Your Time:It happens to the best of us, we try to do something so quickly to get it out of the

way and we end up making matters worse. Remember the story of the turtle and the hare from when you were very young? Moral of the story was that “slow and steady wins the race.” It might feel good to have so much time to yourself at the moment, but it will won’t feel good when you get an F on that “5-minute part” you were making for your Principles of Engineering class. You’ve only got one chance to do things right so make sure you seize every opportunity.

3. Make the best of every situation: You can’t wake up smelling the roses every day, but if you keep a positive

attitude and perseverance, nothing will bring you down. It may seem like you got 99 problems, but stress isn’t one. Here’s what you’re going to do: You are going to put on your big boy/girl pants, pick yourself up, and brush it off. Because guess what, you are the “bomb diggity” and nothing can stop you from achieving your goals – not even stress. You might have just gotten in a car accident and you’re freaking out because you’re “never going to be able to drive again,” and “my parents are going to be so mad.” Do not worry, every little thing is going to be just fine.

It’s Alright Bro

Stress is a big part of our lives today. We all just have to find our own way to deal with it whether it be texting your friends or listening to music. Follow these tips and you’ll be alright. Overcoming stress – no problem!

Word Count: 706

Sample 3 – Robert MedinaPaper 2

Prompt: A magazine aimed at teenagers publishes an article called “Stress—What Stress?” The article

offers guidance to its readers on how to cope with preparing for different situations in life (for example,

coping with schoolwork or getting a job for the first time). Write the text for the article. In your writing,

create a sense of practical advice and positive thinking.

“Stress- What Stress?”

March 8th, 2018

Why you stressin’?

Life seems to be an impossible venture for teenagers. “Do this!” “Do that!” Not yet adults, but not children. This transitory phase is made all the more difficult by multifaceted pressures that arise in any type of setting: School, home, and social. Stress, a predator that is constantly chasing down its prey. One of the main hunting grounds is one that makes up almost one-fourth of adolescents’ life- school.

The Classroom

“You’re a nerd!” “You dumb jock.” Sounds familiar right? Most teenagers find themselves trying to find a limbo between these two extremes. Why? The fear of ridicule of course. School in general is one big courtroom for teenagers. Everything they say, do, get, etc. is judged harshly by the populars of the school- the only ones that are rarely massacred by these pressures because they usually coordinate the hunt. The constant need to slip through the cracks and save themselves from embarrassment seems to be the only solution, right? Wrong. Teenagers need to throw away this primal system of surviving at any cost. Everyone has something unique and beautiful to bring to the table. You’re a mathlete? So what. Be proud and keep at it. You failed a test? Whatever. Been there, done that. Just learn from those mistakes. You like to express yourself through make up? Then slay queen. Who wants a Crayola box with only four or five colors? School is school because there is not only red, there is scarlet, amber, and brick. No one should be afraid to express their individuality. Relax. Breathe. And you do you.

Love

He has a girlfriend. She has a boyfriend. All of your friends are dating and you seem to be the third wheel in any event. “What’s wrong with me?” Has that question ever popped into your head? Well, let me answer that for you- absolutely nothing! When the time comes, it’ll come. Why are teenagers expected to have a full-fledged love life when many are still becoming adults? Realistically, this is one stress where nothing can be done because it is out of your hands. In a time of such rapid change, it’s already hard enough figuring out who you are much less what you are looking for in other

people. Everyone develops at different speeds and many are not ready to make big commitments at such a young age. A relationship will develop when the conditions are right and not when the world around you forces you to do so. Love is a roller coaster and you’ll get on when you finally reach the required height. Love will come when you least expect it. Teenagers, chill, you got this in the bag.

Body Image

This is one of the biggest, if not, the biggest issue facing teenagers at their tender age. Why? Because they are constantly bombarded with “socially acceptable” ideas of what one should look like. The pillars of their self-esteems are slowly chipped away with the installment of standards they are expected to meet. Again. There are so many different colors guys. Why are specific shades focused on? News flash. There has never been and there will never be the perfect body. Unexpected, right? Everybody, you can breathe now. During the Renaissance, being overweight and fair-skinned was all the rage between man and women to show distinction among the classes. Now in modern times, it is all about having that golden skin tone and achieving that hour-glass figure for women. For men, it is the same tan but a muscular build. The times are always changing, and with them, the standards of what society perceives as beautiful or not. If these unattainable standard are in perpetual change, why should any of you be expected to meet them? There is no sense to this. I cannot stress this enough, the world is made up of many different people. Everyone has their own figure and no specific one is above any other. Everyone is human. This idea of what a body should be is not only unrealistic, but there is no point in trying to quench society’s ever changing judgement.

Teenagers. Guys. Girls. Relax. There is literally nothing else to it. You all, as individuals, have your own unique style, personality, and tastes. Do not let these outside influences keep you from being you. If you are being true to yourself, continue, the predator is probably more afraid of you than you are of it.

Word Count: 748

Sample 4 – Isabela Diaz Paper 2

Prompt: A magazine aimed at an older audience publishes an article called “Keeping in Touch.” The

article is a guide on the use and the benefit of social networking sites. Write the text for the article. In

your writing, create a sense of practical advice and enthusiasm.

Keeping in Touch

By: Isabela Diaz

Today’s society has been taken over by a plethora of technological advances that not even I

understand. Millions of phones, tablets, and whatever else they’re called are being made every day, and I

don’t know if I can keep up! Whenever an ad pops up on the t.v. it’s never about about a new toy or board

game, nowadays it’s about the latest device that will help you “ keep in touch.” This year, I am making it

my resolution to figure these social networking sites out, and help guide everyone on how you can use

them to your advantage. We will no longer sit in the sidelines hoping we understood what a “streak” or a

“story” is. These tips will help you fit in and be hip.

Face What?!?!?!

More than likely, we have all heard the crazy stories revolving Facebook.  Janet posted a picture

drinking a shot of vodka, and now she got fired from her job. Pam and Michael split up after 20 years of

marriage because Pam caught Michael poking someone else. I know, I know  you are all sitting there

reading this magazine wondering how, if Facebook is so “good” then why is there bad stigma

surrounding it. I am here to tell you that when used correctly, Facebook can become a wonderful

application where you can communicate with your old high school friends and reconnect with family

members.  Simply create a profile and start looking up names in the search box at the top of the page.

When you find who you are looking for, you can send a friend request and start messaging them. Yes, it

is that simple.  Ever since I started using Facebook,  I have started getting coffee with a couple of my old

childhood Buds and learned so much about their new jobs and kids.  I even found out the boy I had a

thing with when I was a young lady was sent to jail. Talk about depressing! But I digress.  

Let's talk about the multitude of job opportunities you can possibly get through the use of this

application.  Many employers have profiles on Facebook, so it is easy to check and see the kind of

company they have and the requirements you may need if you would want to start working with them.

Not only this,  but Facebook is a great way to present your own company and begin promoting any skills

you may have. all you have to do is set up a business profile. I know this sounds intimidating, but bear

with me. Just how you created your personal profile, you can make a business account. Just select “

business” at the beginning of the sign up page and everything else is done for you! 2 years ago I

discovered this feature and I began a page where I started posting pictures of cupcakes and pastries I

would make with my children. It was all innocent,  just playing around with the features. Nonetheless, a

bakery stumbled upon my page and really like my desserts and decided to contact me. My life changed!

Because of this, I have become a social media enthusiast and want to help out as many people as I

possibly can.

Is That a Bird?

We see it all the time on the news, the infamous Twitter. maybe you've heard your teenage

daughter mention the words “ Twitter beef.” No, it is not some sort of weird ground up bird meat, they're

talking about modern-day drama.  Long gone are the days when teenagers would pass angry notes around

class. Long gone are the days when teenagers would innocently call each other names. Today, these

angsty teens are turning to Twitter to “subtweet” one another and start internet wars. Twitter has become

the place where news is shared. And this can be especially useful for us if used correctly. politicians can

easily be found on the app,  if needed, and can help you when deciding who you want to vote for in the

next election. here we have a concern from one of my readers.

Well John, I got news for you. And so does Twitter.

If you make your way to the app, you will notice but at the bottom of the screen there is a list with

widgets. The second one being a magnifying glass. If you click on it, you will notice you can find the

recent highlights titled “Today's Moments.” Here you can read about recent news topics you may miss on

your local t.v. newscast. Twitter, like Facebook, can also help you message people as well as reach out to

other profiles.

What’s the Next Step?

Now that you know about two of the most popular “it” applications, all you need to do is follow

this short list:

1. Get yourself a mobile device.

2. Make sure you have internet access.

3. Create your profile on the desired application.

4. Start posting!

Word Count: 829

Sample 5 – Jessica BoschPaper 2

Prompt: A sports and leisure center is trying to attract interested beginners to sample its facilities. To

do so, it publishes different articles about the benefits of the various activities on offer on its website.

Write the text for one of the articles. In your writing create a sense of a positive and enthusiastic

attitude.

SunRise Fitness CenterSports & Leisure

Published by: April 12, 2018

Editor: Jessica Bosch – SunRise Fitness Center, Fitness Coach

What Are We About?

Here, at the SunRise Fitness Center, we prioritize fitness above all else! Whether you are an amateur or an experienced athlete, our faculty of certified fitness experts will dedicate the specialized attention you need. The center offers a variety of facilities, ranging from those that pertain to one of are various sports to our leisure-focused zones. For each area, we provide instructors to guide our members and to facilitate their experience; the ratio of instructors to members being 2:5 –guarantee one-on-one guidance and direction for all members!

Game time! – Sports You Can Join…

There is probably no fitness center as large as ours, nor one that offers such a diverse selection of sports! From a mild match of badminton to an intense game of football. Our staff is composed of some of the best professional athletes, accompanied with prestige and knowledge of the sport, along with certifications that authorize them to educate our members on the numerous health benefits of each. On our website, we provide a list of each activity and a thorough and comprehensible description of the rules and procedures, along with names and accreditations of the instructors.

These are some of the sports events that hosted at the center:

1. Basketball

2. Football3. Soccer4. Baseball5. Volleyball6. Swimming7. Water polo8. Cross-country9. Hurdles10. Cycling11. Badminton12. Racquetball13. Rugby14. Vaulting15. 10 meter jump16. Dead-lifting

The innumerable health benefits of joining those sports are invaluable and good for the long run! The majority of these sports require dedication if one wants to see visible results, but the end-product is definitely worth it! Along with toning and the bulking of muscles – the regeneration of more strains of muscle, which is a reaction to the stress the muscles undergo – it exercises your cardio-pulmonary (circulatory) system. At the Fitness Center, the instructors’ goal is to raise your heart’s beat per minute (bpm) to 120; what this achieves is a thorough workout of your hearts and lungs, increasing your red blood cell count and the amount of oxygen they can hold. This further helps to prevent diseases such as diabetes, or problems with high blood pressure and osteoporosis. These high-level sports exert the body to its limit, burning fat rapidly and building muscle, yet without the stressful and conditions of the real deal. Members start from the bottom and work their way up. For each sport, we categorize intensity levels by divisions:

Division I

Division II

Division III

We have schedules for different sport events, which we host right here at the center; they are separated according to division. The dates and times are posted on the ‘Miscellaneous’ tab and in the main lobby.

Want to relax or exercise independently? Take On Leisure Activities!

Most new members feel “intimidated” or “unprepared to join” a sport right away, or they simply “do NOT have the time!” At the SunRise Center, there is a large selection of leisure activities that you can join – each facility dedicated to one of our many leisure activities provides a schedule with the times one can attend. If these do not satisfy your schedule, you can contact our Head of Staff on the phone number or email on the bottom of the schedules or on our main

page under the tab ‘Staff,’ they will work with you on a flexible schedule that fits your needs and we’ll assign you a personal fitness instructor. Some of the leisure activities we offer are:

1. Jogging2. Aerobics3. Yoga4. Gymnastics5. Zumba6. Boxing7. Judo8. Weight training

With just taking part in these activities for 30-60 minutes a day, 2-3 times a week, one exercises enough to maintain the adequate hours of exercise needs a week, while losing fat without compromising your time.

Food Selection ~ Health Section

We don’t only focus on the external aspects, we emphasize on the internal workings as well. Diet is the first step to a healthy lifestyle, the food that you eat plays an important role in the condition of your body. Not everyone requires the same sustenance, some people need to consume specific amounts of protein, carbohydrates, and lipids. That’s why we have the ‘Healthy Foods’ recreational area, where members can gather to learn about the different supplements they should be putting into their bodies, as well as to meet new people and create workout groups.

Word Count: 758

Sample 6 – Ramon CondePaper 1 – May/June 2016

Prompt: The excerpt is from an investigative article about Liberia, a country recently devastated by civil

war. The writer was sent to the country for a week by the international aid charity Oxfam in order to

see its help in action.

1a) Through the use of repetition, the author expresses his shock about the battered condition of

Liberia. From the first sentences, the author establishes the harsh conditions of Liberia stating, “there is

no real road network.” By starting the article with the lack of what many consider a basic necessity and

take for granted, the author shows how critical Liberia’s issues are. Furthering this, the writer goes on a

rant, listing only some of the issues in Liberia such as “poverty,” lack of “water,” and “unemployment.”

Consistently barraging the reader with the hardships faced in Liberia, the writer draws sympathy and

attention—attention which could lead to much needed aid in Liberia. 

Powerful imagery is used throughout the article in order to show the desperate situation in

Liberia. War has devastated Liberia, causing many of the issues in the nation. This is clearly portrayed by

the writer when describing the “dead street lamps” taken during the war. By speaking of such a small

(and, for the most part, useless) object. The author displays the war as rocking Liberia to its very core.

Continuing the unpleased descriptions, the homes and buildings are said to be made of “mud bricks,”

something many would consider primal. Through this, the writer paints Liberia as a backwater that

through conflict has been sent back to before civilized society.

Lighting is also used as a metaphor representing the multilayered nature of the problems Liberia

is facing. By describing street lights as “dead,” the author puts forth the idea of the darkness and strife

being faced as primarily being caused by the civil war, which “stripped” them of their light. However, when

there is light in Liberia all that is seen is pain and poverty, shown by the “huts made of mud and bricks.”

With this the war not only stole their light, hope, but also corrupted it. Commonly light is portrayed as the

good and darkness the bad, but as the author shows there is mostly darkness in Liberia and the light,

hope, is either false or gone.

The lives of the UN workers stationed in Liberia, and the lives of the Liberian people are

contrasted to show the inefficiency of the aid the nation is currently receiving. While humanitarian aid has

been on going in Liberia it has done little to improve the lives of the people, with a majority of the

countries citizens still being in extreme poverty. Going from the “destroyed” infrastructure of the common

streets to the “unusual” hotel with “toilets and clean drinking water,” the reader senses an inequality in

living conditions. Further showing this divide, the guests of the hotel are described with a number of

expensive luxuries such as, “MacBook computers.” While the UN workers stay in a comfortable hotel that

would seem like paradise to most Liberians, the people they are supposed to be helping are living in “huts

made of mud and bricks.” The writer highlights the hypocrisy of those who claim to be helping Liberia

examining them under a very critical eye, due to their much higher quality of life.

Liberia is a country that has been ravished in its recent history, and the author recognizes this,

and so he shows the truth of their suffering for the world to see in the hopes the Liberian people will

receive the help they so desperately need.

1b) Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to tell you all about a little country called Liberia which is in

desperate need for your help. There are few “roads” most of the population makes “less than a dollar a

day,” government and its benefits, such as “schools,” “water,” and “electricity,” are scarce. There is an

“eighty-six percent unemployment rate,” which only adds to the poverty of the small nation. It does not

end there, malaria and HIV run rampant in the country with “over one-hundred thousand citizens” being

infected with HIV. And of course with such harsh living conditions, life expectancy is low with men on

average living until “thirty-eight” and women “forty-two.” I would like you all to take this into

consideration as you decide whether to donate or not. As for just a few dollars you can drastically

improve the life of someone living in Liberia.