SAT寫作指導(dǎo)之：何為勇氣?

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

　　We define “courage” too loosely. Real courage is conscious self-sacrifice, either for the sake of others or to uphold a value. But we typically identify a single aspect of courage—daring or honesty, for example—as the entire virtue. We even say it takes courage to differ from the mainstream in one’s preferences in fashion or music or to speak out about certain wrongs. Such acts, though admirable, are not necessarily courageous.

　　Adapted from John McCain with Mark Salter, Why Courage Matters

　　Assignment: Should we limit our use of the term “courage” to acts in which people risk their own well-being for the sake of others or to uphold a value? 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.

　　第一部分：

　　寫作思路：

　　不同意。為了他人的利益或者為了堅(jiān)守某個(gè)價(jià)值觀而犧牲自己的利益或福利的確可以稱之為勇氣。但是，還有一些行為，比如不隨波逐流，比如得了絕癥堅(jiān)持樂(lè)觀地生活下去，也是要極大勇氣的。因此，很多的行為，即便沒(méi)有為了別人的利益失去自己的福利，也可以是勇氣。

　　有一位身患癌癥的醫(yī)生寫過(guò)一篇文章，請(qǐng)大家看看我節(jié)選的部分。能從中獲取某些思路和感悟：Hemingway once wrote that courage is grace under pressure. But I would rather think with the 18th century Italian dramatist, Vittorio Alfieri, that “often the test of courage is not to die but to live.” For living with cancer engenders more than pressure; it begets terror. To live with it, to face up to it---that’s courage.(翻譯：海明威曾經(jīng)寫道，勇氣就是臨危不懼。不過(guò)，我更贊同18世紀(jì)意大利戲劇家維多利奧.阿爾菲利的觀點(diǎn)：“對(duì)勇氣的考驗(yàn)往往不是去死，而是要活。”身患癌癥，不僅帶來(lái)痛苦，而且引起恐懼。抱病生活，并敢于正視這一現(xiàn)實(shí)，這就是勇氣。)

　　從這位作者的文章我們可以看出，正視糟糕的現(xiàn)實(shí)，也是勇氣的表現(xiàn)。作為一名癌癥患者，作者不僅沒(méi)有消沉，反倒比以前更積極快樂(lè)地去生活，這種行為不僅沒(méi)有損害個(gè)人的利益，反倒還有利于自己的身體。你能說(shuō)這種勇于面對(duì)現(xiàn)實(shí)的態(tài)度不是勇氣嗎?

　　此外，我也反對(duì)John McCain說(shuō)的“We even say it takes courage to differ from the mainstream in one’s preferences in fashion or music or to speak out about certain wrongs. Such acts, though admirable, are not necessarily courageous.”從古到今，有太多隨波逐流的人，太多不敢發(fā)表自己觀點(diǎn)和意見(jiàn)的人。因?yàn)檫@些人從小就被教育要聽(tīng)話，不要與大眾對(duì)著干。不管是隨波逐流也好，還是隱藏自己的觀點(diǎn)也罷，都不利于社會(huì)的進(jìn)步。而正是那些敢于特立獨(dú)行，敢于勇于陳述自己觀點(diǎn)和意見(jiàn)的人，往往是推動(dòng)社會(huì)進(jìn)步的人。比如時(shí)尚界的香奈兒，勇敢地講男性化的元素引入女裝;比如科技界的喬布斯，力排眾議推出ipad。我覺(jué)得這兩位的行為，就是有勇氣的體現(xiàn)。很多時(shí)候我們不敢嘗試新的事情，因?yàn)槲覀兒ε率　?duì)于敢于創(chuàng)新的人，我們不得不贊賞他們的勇氣。

　　所以，只要一個(gè)人做了別人或自己通常不敢做，不會(huì)做的，而又無(wú)損于甚至是有利于他人的事兒，就可稱之為勇氣。(自己不敢做的事兒比如向喜歡的人表白，這個(gè)也是需要勇氣的：)。活生生的個(gè)人事例也能很好說(shuō)明自己的觀點(diǎn)。大家不要擔(dān)心個(gè)人的事例沒(méi)有說(shuō)服力。只要寫得靠題，個(gè)人事例和名人事例一樣有說(shuō)服力!)

　　第二部分：

　　本篇必背短語(yǔ)和句子：

　　1) From the time people are very young, they are urged to get along with others, to try to “fit in”.

　　2) People are often rewarded for being agreeable and obedient.

　　3) 隨波逐流：go with/follow the crowd

　　4) 從古到今：from ancient times to the present/from ancient to modern times

　　5) 力排眾議：do one’s utmost to hold one’s own opinion against that of the majority;denounce the majority opinion

　　6) 勇氣的表現(xiàn)：a display of courage/an exhibition of courage

　　7) 缺乏勇氣：be deficient in courage/be lacking in courage/lack the courage to do sth

　　8) 有巨大魄力和勇氣的人：a man of great soul and courage

　　9) 有勇氣的人將來(lái)會(huì)大有出息：A man with courage will go far.

　　10) 勇敢地面對(duì)困苦：face the hardship with courage

　　11) 鼓起勇氣向大群聽(tīng)眾致辭：find/gain/gather/muster up the courage to address a large audience

　　12) 他勇敢地面對(duì)困難：He faced the difficulty with courage.

　　13) 面臨困難她并不氣餒：Her courage did not falter at the prospect of hardship.

　　14) 他被她的美貌弄得心蕩神馳，可缺乏勇氣向她表明：He was tantalized by her beauty, but lacked the courage to speak to her.

　　15) 他的勇氣(漸漸)消失了：His courage drained away/crumpled.

　　16) 我不得不贊賞他的勇氣：I cannot help but admire his courage/I deeply respect his courage/I take off my hat to him for his courage/Such courage is beyond praise(勇氣令人贊嘆不已).

　　17) 消防隊(duì)員在搶救孩子時(shí)表現(xiàn)很勇敢：The fireman demonstrated great courage in saving the child.

　　18) 士兵表現(xiàn)出極大的勇氣：The soldier displayed great courage.

　　19) 勇敢的化身the incarnation/personification of courage

　　20) 推動(dòng)社會(huì)向前發(fā)展：propel the society forward

　　21) 決不能損害人民的利益：Never do anything to harm the interests of the people/the masses.