Sat作文范文

Sat作文范文篇一

SAT写作 范文一篇

In 2008, a devastating earthquake struck Wenchuan, a small town of Sichuan, china. Shortly after the disaster, many countries expressed their sympathy and humanity support by either donating large sum of money or delivering millions of tons of items, both of which served as a big relief in such a case. It was because of the helps from all over the world that the people who survived the earthquake could walk through the difficulties and recovered from the great pain quickly.

This event can be a good example to show the significance of global care. As the result of development of modern telecommunication, the geographic boundary has no longer been such a big barrier to limit the flow of information between countries. We suddenly become more informed of the issues of people from other countries. We can almost feel what other country’s people feel especially when they are in big troubles because we are the same race! Sympathy is a deeply rooted human nature.

However, there are also some people who don’t think so. In their views, the limited resources should only be granted to those who speak the same language as they do. They forget a fact that some day they could be in trouble. If they refuse to help others no one will help them in return. So we should care the people not only from our own country but also from other countries no matter how different they look from us!

Sat作文范文篇二

SAT写作范文

Abraham Lincoln said, "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be." In other words, our personal level of satisfaction is entirely within our control. Otherwise, why would the same experience disappoint one person but delight another? Happiness is not an accident but a choice.

Assignment: Is happiness something over which people have no control, or can people choose to be happy? 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.

My Essay:

Happiness is an elixir to all diseases, so everyone wants happiness and most of them think that it comes from success. But even if we fail something, we can still choose to be happy.

Last year, our school held a basketball competition. Our class had entered into the

semi-final and all the students in our class were very excited. Moreover, we had just beaten the team which was considered the best in our grade and my classmates were hopeful that we might enter the final game. On the day of the semi-final, the players of our team went to the field in our cheers. But as soon as we saw the members of the other team, we knew it would be a hard match. One of the players in their team is as tall as 1.93 m, much taller than any of our players and we also learned that their team was the only one which hadn’t lost a single game.

The match started. To our disappointment, our team wasn’t playing well, and the best player in our team was followed by the tallest in theirs at every pace. Anxious and worried, we girls jumped onto the platform beside and shouted at the top of our voices. After sometime, it seemed that our cheers had gave my classmates some energy and they began to catch up, slowly but gradually, we were only two points behind. But just at that time, the first ten minutes were over and we came to a stop. The players were tired but hopeful, and we kept cheering them. However, when the match started again, our opponents seemed to become stronger. They got more points and we were soon eleven points behind. Meanwhile, our throats were burning, but we kept shouting for our classmates. Though we caught up some points, at last we lost by only one point.

When we got back to the classroom, all of my classmates were disappointed and sad. One of the players even cried. But our teacher came in at that moment and said, “Cheer up everyone, we just lost by one point and we are already the top four. We still have a match and let’s get the third place!” Then one of my classmates suddenly went to the dais and wrote something encouraging on the blackboard and one by one, over ten of our classmates all wrote down the words they wanted to say. All of us were greatly encouraged and smiled. We felt a sense of happiness even though we didn’t win.

So if we choose to be happy, we’ll be happy. It’s all up to our choices.

The Official SAT Study Guide Avail Practice Test 3{Sat作文范文}.

Prompt

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and

assignment below.

A mistakenly cynical view of human behavior holds that people are primarily driven by selfish motives: the desire for wealth, for power, or for fame. Yet history gives us many examples of individuals who have sacrificed their own welfare for a cause or a principle that they regarded as more important than their own lives. Conscience - that powerful inner voice that tells us what is right and what is wrong-can be a more compelling force than money, power, or fame.{Sat作文范文}.

Assignment

Is conscience a more powerful motivator than money, fame, or power? 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 readings, studies, experience, and observations.

SAT Sample Essay - Score of 6 SAT作文6分范文

As society toils onward into its dreams of the future, the progress that accompanies this movement may be tainted by individual motives of avarice. However, as seen in various fields such as art, history, and science, the human conscience will limit the motivation of greed and inspire good works for the sake of morality. One’s sense of right and wrong forever impels one to be a decent, thoughtful person.

Such people widely populate the idealistic field of literature. Though novels may be rife with villainous, self-serving characters, only the heroic and moral personas emerge triumphant. For example, the well-known literary character

Huckleberry Finn, from Twain’s Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, rescinds his claim to a sizable fortune if possessing such wealth would diminish his safety. Furthermore, Huck will risk himself to ensure the security of his close comrade Jim. His loyalty, a facet of one’s conscience, compels him to sacrifice his safety to ensure the well-being of others, which is more than money has accomplished in motivating Huck. Thus, a person, however fictional, considers the rewards of acting on conscience to be more fruitful than to be possessed by greed.

Although such characters are fictional, the same motives of charity and morality have inspired numerous people in history to set aside their desires. Lyndon B. Johnson, Former President of the United States, pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress motivated by conscience and a desire to correct the immorality of racism in society. Though some Senators stridently opposed such a bill, the power

of motivation by conscience impassioned Johnson to strive even harder to remain loyal to the American precepts of equality. Such is fruition of conscientious actions.

Though the great figures of history seem out of reach in their stature, as an individual I am faced with moral dilemmas rather often. For example, I have been offered more weighty positions on the newspaper, but as a rule, I have always refused when there was someone better qualified than I. Consequently, their talents result in a more improved issue, thereby increasing the benefit for all.

There in lies the reason why we are compelled by conscience. Money, fame and power are fleeting and insubstantial, for they can never mend the integrity

sacrificed to obtain them. It is only when we act in the name of what is right that all of our possible talents may benefit ourselves, our peers, and our ideals.

Score Explanation SAT写作6分范文点评

This response demonstrates clear and consistent mastery. The writer effectively and insightfully develops the point of view that "the human conscience will limit the motivation of greed and inspire good works for the sake of morality." By focusing on fictional, historical, and personal examples of conscience as a compelling force, the writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking. The first example is the fictional character of Huckleberry Finn, whose "loyalty, a facet of one's conscience, compels him to sacrifice his safety to ensure the well-being of others." The writer then moves to the historical figure Lyndon B. Johnson, who "pushed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 through Congress motivated by conscience and a desire to correct the immorality of racism in society." Finally, the writer offers the personal example of declining "more weighty positions on the newspaper . . . when there was someone better qualified." This essay organizes these clearly appropriate examples well, demonstrating clear coherence and a smooth progression of ideas. The essay exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure ("Money, fame, and power are fleeting and insubstantial, for they can never mend the integrity sacrificed to obtain them. It is only when we act in the name of what is right that all of our possible talents may benefit ourselves, our peers, and our ideals"). Thus, this outstanding essay receives a score of 6.

The Official SAT Study Guide Avail Practice Test 2

Prompt

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and

assignment below.

Technology promises to make our lives easier, freeing up time for leisure pursuits. But the rapid pace of technological innovation and the split second processing capabilities of computers that can work virtually nonstop have made all

of us feel rushed. We have adopted the relentless pace of the very machines that were supposed to simplify our lives, with the result that , whether at work or play, people do not feel like their lives have changed for the better.

Adapted from Karen Finucan, "Life in the Fast Lane"

Assignment

Do changes that make our lives easier not necessarily make them better? 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 readings, studies, experience, and observations.

Sample Essay - Score of 6 SAT写作6分范文

Throughout time mankind has strived to make his life easier. Whether it be through technology, science, or theories of social interaction every generation has made one contribution. From the idea of crop rotation to the cellular telephone mankind has advanced. It can be argued however, that not all of these advancements were beneficial. Many times people are accused of “taking the easy way out”, something that is looked down upon in today’s society.

Consider, if you will, ancient Greecian Society. With hardly any of the technological or scientific advancements we have today, they were able to produce some of the greatest thinkers of all time. Socrates and Plato still influence modern philosophical thought. In addition, these men were well versed in all disciplines. They were thinkers, mathematicians, writers, scientists, artists and much more. Examine some other great men in history. Leonardo Davinci was one of the greatest scientists and also one of the greatest artists of all time, he even invented and drew up early plans for the helicopter. These ancient men, without the technology and ease of life we have today, were able to produce some of the most prolific additions to human knowledge ever.

Now let us examine some men from our time. Bill Gates, while adding immensely to the pleasures and ease of man’s life, did so only by forcefully destroying many fledgling companies and completely undermining our capitalistic market place. Very few men in our time are leaders in more than one discipline. There are no

scientists/artists or writer/mathematicians. Men, while being able to more deeply delve into a discipline, are now restricted to it. I attribute this to technology. We now have a life outside of our work. A life with computers, cars, movies, and dinner with the family from across the country. Mankind can no longer devote himself to his work. He has his work life, and his home life. While a cell phone allows me to talk to anyone from anywhere, it prevents me from being alone and fully

concentrating. While the internet allows me to look at websites from around the world, it prevents me from doing the work I set out to do.

While technology and science have made man’s life easier, they have not made it better. Man has become less productive and less devoted, partly, as a result of this newfound ease of life. Therefore, What makes our lives easier does not necessarily make them better.

Score Explanation SAT写作6分范文点评

This outstanding essay insightfully and effectively develops the point of view that “What makes our lives easier does not necessarily make them better.” The writer demonstrates outstanding critical thinking by focusing on clearly appropriate examples throughout history to support the idea that not all of

mankind’s “advancements” to make life easier have been “beneficial.” The essay begins by describing the ancient scholars who, “without the technology and ease of life we have today, were able to produce some of the most prolific additions to human knowledge ever.” The writer continues by offering the idea that today, due to the incredible advancements in technology, “Very very few men . . . are leaders in more than one discipline.” The essay concludes with the idea that, due to the distractions and ease of a technologically advanced society, “Man has become less productive and less devoted.” This well organized and clearly focused essay demonstrates coherence and progression of ideas. The essay consistently exhibits skillful use of language and demonstrates meaningful variety in sentence structure (“Bill Gates, while adding immensely to the pleasures and ease of man’s life, did so only by forcefully destroying many fledgling companies and completely undermining our capitalistic marketplace. Very very few men in our time are leaders in more than one discipline”). This essay demonstrates clear and consistent mastery and is scored 6.

The Official SAT Study Guide Avail Practice Test 1

Prompt

Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt and assignment below.

To change is to risk something, making us feel insecure. Not to change is a bigger risk, though we seldom feel that way. There is no choice but to change. People, however, cannot be motivated to change from the outside. All of our motivation comes from within.

Adapted from Ward Sybouts, Planning in School Administration: A Handbook Assignment

What motivates people to change? 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 you reading, studies, experience, or observations.

Sat作文范文篇三

新SAT写作范文2(白松老师)

Prompt

As you read the passage below, consider how Dana Gioia uses





 evidence, such as facts or examples, to support claims. reasoning to develop ideas and to connect claims and evidence. stylistic or persuasive elements, such as word choice or

appeals to emotion, to add power to the ideas expressed.

Adapted from Dana Gioia, “Why Literature Matters” ©2005 by The New York Times Company. Originally published April 10, 2005.

[A] strange thing has happened in the American arts during the past quarter century. While income rose to unforeseen levels, college attendance ballooned, and access to information increased

enormously, the interest young Americans showed in the arts—and especially literature—actually diminished.

According to the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts, a population study designed and commissioned by the National

Endowment for the Arts (and executed by the US Bureau of the

Census), arts participation by Americans has declined for eight of the nine major forms that are measured....The declines have been most severe among younger adults (ages 18–24). The most worrisome finding in the 2002 study, however, is the declining percentage of Americans, especially young adults, reading literature.

That individuals at a time of crucial intellectual and emotional

development bypass the joys and challenges of literature is a

troubling trend. If it were true that they substituted histories,

biographies, or political works for literature, one might not worry. But book reading of any kind is falling as well.{Sat作文范文}.

That such a longstanding and fundamental cultural activity should slip so swiftly, especially among young adults, signifies deep

transformations in contemporary life. To call attention to the trend, the Arts Endowment issued the reading portion of the Survey as a

separate report, ―Reading at Risk: A Survey of Literary Reading in America.‖

The decline in reading has consequences that go beyond literature. The significance of reading has become a persistent theme in the

business world. The February issue of Wired magazine, for example, sketches a new set of mental skills and habits proper to the 21st

century, aptitudes decidedly literary in character: not ―linear, logical, analytical talents,‖ author Daniel Pink states, but ―the ability to create artistic and emotional beauty, to detect patterns and opportunities, to craft a satisfying narrative.‖ When asked what kind of talents they like to see in management positions, business leaders consistently set imagination, creativity, and higher-order thinking at the top.

Ironically, the value of reading and the intellectual faculties that it inculcates appear most clearly as active and engaged literacy

declines. There is now a growing awareness of the consequences of nonreading to the workplace. In 2001 the National Association of Manufacturers polled its members on skill deficiencies among

employees. Among hourly workers, poor reading skills ranked second, and 38 percent of employers complained that local schools

inadequately taught reading comprehension.

The decline of reading is also taking its toll in the civic sphere....A 2003 study of 15- to 26-year-olds’ civic knowledge by the National Conference of State Legislatures concluded, ―Young people do not understand the ideals of citizenship… and their appreciation and support of American democracy is limited.‖

It is probably no surprise that declining rates of literary reading

coincide with declining levels of historical and political awareness among young people. One of the surprising findings of ―Reading at Risk‖ was that literary readers are markedly more civically engaged than nonreaders, scoring two to four times more likely to perform

charity work, visit a museum, or attend a sporting event. One reason

for their higher social and cultural interactions may lie in the kind of civic and historical knowledge that comes with literary reading.... The evidence of literature’s importance to civic, personal, and

economic health is too strong to ignore. The decline of literary reading foreshadows serious long-term social and economic problems, and it is time to bring literature and the other arts into discussions of public policy. Libraries, schools, and public agencies do noble work, but

addressing the reading issue will require the leadership of politicians and the business community as well....

Reading is not a timeless, universal capability. Advanced literacy is a specific intellectual skill and social habit that depends on a great

many educational, cultural, and economic factors. As more Americans lose this capability, our nation becomes less informed, active, and independent-minded. These are not the qualities that a free,

innovative, or productive society can afford to lose.

Write an essay in which you explain how Dana Gioia builds an

argument to persuade his audience that the decline of reading in

America will have a negative effect on society. In your essay, analyze how Gioia uses one or more of the features in the directions that

precede the passage (or features of your own choice) to strengthen the logic and persuasiveness of his argument. Be sure that your analysis focuses on the most relevant features of the passage.

Your essay should not explain whether you agree with Gioia’s claims, but rather explain how Gioia builds an argument to persuade his audience.

白松老师范文：

In response to a diminishing interest Americans showed in arts, especially literature, writer Dana Gioia argues in her article ―Why Literature Matters‖ that reading literature should be advocated and

paid special attention to . She effectively builds her argument by using juxtaposition, startling facts, and emotional appeal.

Gioia starts her article off by contrasting the rise in income, college attendance, and access to information to the decline in young

Americans’ interest in the arts and in literature. Even at the slightest glance, the readers can, with ease, notice that Gioia highlights the

irony and gravity of a dwindling percentage of reading when she uses the word ―a strange thing‖ to intrigue audience to follow her through by telling us ―While income rose...actually diminished.‖ By attracting readers with this shocking yet true statement, the author means to establish a background for readers to fit in, and the readers’ interest therefore is aroused in how and why this ―strange‖ decline happened. Furthermore, Gioia juxtaposes precisely chosen, powerful words to characterize reading as a ―longstanding‖ and ―fundamental cultural‖ activity that ―slip so swiftly‖ among young adults, reminding readers that reading literature has a long history and enjoys a highly cherished value and position. This further expresses his concern and increases the readers’ concern over the fact that originally important literature reading has now been reduced to a trivial state. This juxtaposition

strategy provides a baseline of sorts for readers to find credence with the author’s claims.

Merely juxtaposing evidence to create irony may not be strong

enough for building an argument, so the writer tries to evoke emotions from the readers, arousing worry as well as fear in them. To express his own worry and grab the readers’ attention to ―the most worrisome finding in the 2002 study‖, Gioia points out that ―the declining

percentage of Americans, especially young adults, reading literature‖ is ―a troubling trend‖, by revealing that ―if it were true...but book

reading of any kind is falling as well‖. This may dispel the fluke hidden within the readers that maybe people are now engaged in reading other than literature. At the end of the article, the author clearly tells us that ―reading is not a timeless, universal capability‖ without which ―our nation becomes less informed, active, and independent-minded‖, ―qualities that a free, innovative, or productive society can not afford to lose‖. At these words, readers may probably become silent for a

while to taste the worry and fear the author betrays, in the meantime, hopefully, trying to figure out how to deal with this ―troubling trend‖. This pathos strategy really strikes the readers, causing them to join the author to worry together about the young generation and to reflect on this ―strange thing‖.

In order both to achieve credibility and to stir emotion, Gioia uses

undeniable facts in her article to persuade her audience that literature reading really matters and should be highly regarded. Clearly, the author has done her research when she cites data commissioned by an authoritative source, the National Endowment for the Arts, which says ―arts participation by Americans has declined for eight of the nine major forms that are measured‖, ―most severe among younger adults (ages18--24)‖. Then, Gioia synthesizes multiple sources of evidence, such as ―the February issue of Wired magazine‖ to

conclude that the decrease in reading has implications outside of

literature, because ―in business world‖, ―business leaders consistently set imagination, creativity, and higher-order thinking at the top‖ when deciding ―talents in management positions‖, but ironically, ―skill

deficiencies among employees‖ and ―poor reading skills‖ ―appear

most clearly as active and engaged literacy declines‖. More seriously, but not surprisingly, ―a 2003 study by the National Conference of

State Legislatures‖ reveals that ―declining rates of literary...awareness among young people‖. This series of evidence and statistics,

undoubtedly, adds so much to the persuasive effect that the readers must feel the urgency and need to get down to calling back the habit of literature reading. In citing so much evidence and so many facts, Gioia strongly emphasizes the significance of literary reading, whose influence and consequence go beyond the scope of just ―reading‖, pervasive and important.{Sat作文范文}.

Writing as a reaction to her worry and fear that literature reading has declined universally, the author Gioia strongly argues that American people should be alert and pay special attention to literature.

Literature reading may not be the most popular trend or the most direct path toward success nowadays, yet it should always be

deemed as the source of the imagination, innovation, and productivity, which we cannot afford to lose.

Sat作文范文篇四

10月1亚太新SAT考试写作参考范文

本次考试作文阅读原文来源于《纽约时报》，题目为：Read, Kids, Read。文章主题是劝说年轻人应该多读书。阅读难度不高，且相对生动有趣。本文中小编为大家带来了写作参考范文。10月SAT写作真题阅读原文

写作范文：

The vicissitude of history never fails to amaze us with all the changes it has brought to human life. If we trace back to see what has been changed since human civilization, seldom can we see anything that remains intact, with only one exception- the importance of reading. Despite the fact that reading has never dropped from our top priorities, few people keep the habit of it. As a reaction to such pathetic phenomenon, writer Frank Bruni draws people’s attention back to reading and encourages people to value it. Strategies he employs include contrast, credible reference and tactic reasoning that appeal to people’s emotion and agreement.

One impressive feature of this article is Bruni’s contrast at the very beginning to introduce his topic, with the next paragraphs addressing its benefits. He compares things that he always ignores such as nephew’s birthday and niece’s school production with things he never fails to overlook -reading. For the majority of people, especially teenagers, birthday party and school performance are events that family members should remember. Unfortunately, this is not the case for the author. Reading at this point, readers are left a bit disappointed at the author and tend to pay more attention to what he wants to convey next. At the cusp of people’s attention, author Bruni brings about something that deserves greater emphasis- reading: “I’m incessantly asking my nephews and nieces what they’re reading and why they’re not reading more.” Thus the readers start to realize how justifiable the author is-as nothing like a birthday party or a performance in school is comparable with the importance of reading. With the utilization of this contrast, the author successfully draws the attention from the readers and lays a solid foundation for his later argument.

Aside from this, the author’s careful choice of evidence adds credibility to the article. He cites properly a report by Common Sense Media, claiming that three is a sharp decline in the percentage of teenagers read for fun “fewer than 20 percent of 17-year-olds now read for pleasure”. At the

same time, however, the number of the young who hardly ever read or never read for pleasure elevates from “only 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds” 30 years ago to “22 percent of 13-year-olds and 27 percent of 17-year-olds “ today. This worrisome report indicates that the young no longer read as much as they used to. Linked with the previous paragraphs, the author urges the reader to weight the

disadvantage of such trend and possibly spurs some kind of response. Besides, the inclusion of an authoritative agency backs up Bruni’s point, makes the work of Bruni believable and credible.

The most exquisite technique of the passage, however, is its elaborate reasoning. From paragraph 8 to 15, the author lists all the possible benefits of reading to add weight to the persuasiveness of the article. He starts from how reading benefit the brain in paragraph 8, that interviews indicate a symbiotic relationship between reading and

intelligence. Paragraph 9 follows with a benefit to the qualities required to success, because those people who read are more adept at “ reading people” and “sizing up the social whirl around them”. If these benefits are not enough, in paragraph 10, 11, 12 and 13, the author compares reading with exposure to technological devices to indicate how reading would benefit the spirit. One obvious benefit reading offers to the spirit is that reading smoothens people “with thoughts less jumbled, moods less jangled”. The other benefit to spirit is that reading grants people “the ability to focus and concentrate”, which becomes a social corrective to “metabolism and sensory overload of digital technology”, because those who indulge themselves in technology requires something to force them to be focused and have delayed gratification. Finally, in paragraph 14 and 15, Bruni talks about the joy of reading: as the connection reading can provide to people is not anything like watching a movie is able to offer. In order to prove the zealous love people possess for reading, he sites the line from the protagonist in a famous love story that “You read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book.” People love reading want to share the zeal for it, because only those who read can feel the same

addiction. All these are connected well to elaborate the value of reading to not only people’s brain and success, but also spirit and gratification. The combination of all these paragraphs provides the readers with a chance to see the well-rounded and multi-layer benefits of reading, surely help the reader to deliver his idea.

All in all, the evidence and source make the reader’s idea worthy of recognition, and the tactical reasoning appeals to people’s emotion and trust. These writing techniques contribute to a well-structured and compelling argument that reading deserves more attention and emphasis.

Sat作文范文篇五

关于SAT Essay格式写作范文

智课网SAT备考资料{Sat作文范文}.

关于SAT Essay格式写作范文

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SAT Essay 写作是所有SAT考试项目中最难的一类，因为对大家的英语语言应用能力的考察最为严格。所以大家在备考SAT考试中最需要格外注意SAT Essay的结构并参考一下其他人的SAT Essay范文，以便使大家的备考更加的有效率。

Format of the essay:

Paragraph 1: Introduction

· Try to create interest in the topic.

The introduction can be general but must include a thesis statement to point the reader in the right direction.

Paragraph 2: Part I of the example

· Describe the situation and cover about half the “example” here.

Paragraph 3: Part II of the example

· Finish the “example”.

Paragraph 4: Discussion/analysis

· Explain what your example shows. Extract the conclusions/moral lessons to show how it supports your thesis.

Paragraph 5: General conclusion

· Show how the example leads to more general conclusions about the topic. (If possible, relate to material from the introduction to round the essay off.)

Sample essay 1 is an essay that uses this format

One of the memorable images from Eisenstein’s classic silent film on the Russian Revolution is the toppling of a

statue. The destruction of the statue symbolizes the throwing out of the old order along with its heroes and replacing it

with a new. Considering this human tendency to ‘ring out the old and ring in the new’ it is surprising that any heroic figures from the past survive in the history books, but they do. There are some heroes who do not get erased from the pages.

One of my personal all-time heroes is Marie Curie, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize. At a time when women were not allowed to enter the University of Warsaw, her home city, Marie worked as a governess before getting the opportunity to enroll in the Sorbonne in Paris. She graduated at the top of her class and became the first woman to take a degree in physics from the Sorbonne.

But it is not simply for her breaking out of traditional molds that she is remembered. Her scientific work on radiation led to her two Nobel Prizes: the first joint with her husband, the second alone, after Pierre Curie’s death. She nearly did not get the second prize because of rumors of ‘misconduct’ in her private life. But she bravely went to Stockholm,

despite opposition, and said that she believed that there was no connection between her private life and her scientific work. She died of cancer caused by exposure to radium, one of the elements that she discovered.

Many great people from the past have had their reputations destroyed by exposure of their human frailties. But some, like Marie Curie, achieve such greatness that they will be remembered for their achievements. She symbolizes the human quest for knowledge and the capacity to sacrifice self for a higher goal. Women everywhere will gain strength from seeing one woman who could not he suppressed by outdated conventions.

We need our heroes for the inspiration they offer to us and to future generations. Names such as Curie should not, and in fact cannot, be erased form the History books: they tell us so much about the human capacity to strive for excellence.