The October 11/12 Essay Thread

Test Preparation SAT Preparation
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<p>For those of you who got 11 or 12 on the essay for October, could you guys share your essays? I'm trying to raise my score from a 9, and I thought it might be a good idea to look at some good essays. I imagine tons of other people are interested as well =)
You can do it by clicking the right button on ur mouse over the scanned image of ur essay, and then going to properties, and then copy and paste the URL. Make sure you choose the essay prompts too! Thanks guys</p>

<p>October SAT® Essay Prompts
If you took the October 2008 SAT Reasoning Test, you had one of the essay prompts below:</p>

<p>Prompt 1
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.</p>

<p>We are frequently told that compromise is the best way for people to work out their differences. When people compromise, with each side losing a little in order to reach a satisfactory agreement, both sides can continue to live in harmony. However, compromise can work only when the issues at stake are not that important. Compromise does not work when there is a genuine difference of opinion about strongly held principles or ideas.</p>

<p>Assignment:
Is compromise always the best way to resolve a conflict? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>

<p>Prompt 2
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.</p>

<p>People usually assume that the quality of a decision is directly related to the time and effort that went into making it. We believe that we are always better off gathering as much information as possible and then spending as much time as possible analyzing that information. But there are times when making a quick judgment is the best thing to do. Decisions made quickly can be as good as decisions made slowly and cautiously.</p>

<p>Adapted from Malcolm Gladwell, Blink: The Power of Thinking Without Thinking</p>

<p>Assignment:
Are decisions made quickly just as good as decisions made slowly and carefully? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>

<p>Prompt 3
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.</p>

<p>It is unrealistic to think that any group of people—a family, a committee, a company, a city—can function peacefully and productively without some kind of authority. The needs and interests of the individuals who make up any group are too varied for its members to operate as a unit without having someone to make the final decisions. Somebody has to be in charge; somebody has to be ultimately responsible.</p>

<p>Assignment:
Can a group of people function effectively without someone being in charge? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>

<p>Prompt 4
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and the assignment below.</p>

<p>Governments, businesses, groups, or people reveal themselves by how they act, not by what they say. A company may claim to value its customers, or a politician may claim to be committed to a cause, but what do their actions say? People or groups may state what they wish were true or what they think others want to hear, but it is their actions that reveal their true values. </p>

<p>Assignment:
Do actions, not words, reveal a person or group's true attitudes and intentions? Plan and write an essay in which you develop your point of view on this issue. Support your position with reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies, experience, or observations.</p>

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<p>There are a great many sample essays in prep books like Barrons, Grammatix, ... and College Board's Official Guide, which you can refer to!</p>

3

<p>This is an 12 essay i got it from a friend. I typed it earlier~~there r somewords i cannot understand,but here it is
PROMPT 4~~</p>

<p>====People shed a wide assortment of emotions through what they say. However, speech doesn't necesarily reflect one's inner world and real notions are more frequently unveiled through behavior.
====One vivid and convincing example embody this conviction lies in the classic literature "Great Expectations" by Charles Dickens. Mrs. Joe, the sister of the protagonist Pip, may appear affectionate. Since she [ - ] with her filthy apron on is forever talking about how she has endured torture and hardship to bring up her little brother "by hand". The sweat and effort [ - ] never leaves her tongue and the meticulousness and profound tender with which she takes care of Pip is [- ] invariable routine in her daily words. However, reality turns out not so pleasant. The "nutritious" and "delicately" prepared cusine is hypocritically ramshackle when compared to the humdrum content of meal. Two pieces of bread accompanied by cloying and slightly moldy jam are all washed down with coarse milk that was
probably gone sour in some prehistoric time. Moreover, though Mrs Joe brags about her excellence as one considerate and loving sister, Pip actually undergoes trenchant solitude as a reticent adolescent as he is born an orphan. Instead of constant care, which as Mrs. Joe States, she lavishes on him, Pip is often the perfect quarry for the young lady's tantrum whenever she [-] captured by agony. From Mrs. Joes bombastic speech, one might be couched by her altruistic contributions,but deducing from her action, the ruthlessness and selfishness are indubitably displayed.
====The assertion that action mirrors true ideas holds true not only in virtual novel,but also in reality. I still recall the sarcastic oral comments thrown to me right after my first high school algebra exam from my teacher. My score is without doubt ignominious, and my inner wound testered at the pointed irony. However, though the thorough analyse later put on my assignment about a more efficacious study method advised by the teacher. I realized the geuine concern and become aware of how he longed to facilitate my improment. Though seemingly deadpan and strict, he was nevertheless a responsible teacher and expected highly of me.
====The two examples persuasively demonstrate that what one does rather what one says reflects the real thinking.</p>

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<p>roughly 380 words!</p>

5

<p>yea ^but sprinkled with sAT vocabs LOL, she got a 12 =]]</p>

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<p>11 =(</p>

<p>*** was wrong with the teacher that gave me 5??!!</p>