GRE issue task writing: A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college.

A nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the recommendation and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, describe specific circumstances in which adopting the recommendation would or would not be advantageous and explain how these examples shape your position.

There are many educational systems in the world and we can easily find pros and cons for each of them. However, we should search for the best possible educational system which can shape and educate noble people. This is a challenge, but it is worth taking. Generally, according to many different studies on education, we can notice a trend which indicates that the most customized and individual approaches to each and every student generate the best effects. Thus, I do not agree with the statement that a nation should require all of its students to study the same national curriculum until they enter college.

First of all, it is recommended considering advantages and disadvantages of such an approach. The standardized approach can be honed on and after years of iterations such a national curriculum can be excellent and impeccable. On the other hand, each student is different and usually one size does not fit all. Having the same national curriculum for every student is like requiring the same school uniform size for every student. Children live in diverse environments and a student from a rural part of a country probably would be more directed towards different subjects than a student living in a big city. Hence, the program in schools should be adjusted to every student so that it could reveal a student's talents and assist him or her in pursuing a career in a specific field or niche.

Let me consider this problem from an economical point of view. The same national curriculum is a relatively keenly priced solution for the reason that we can summon the best teachers and specialists in a given country, then allot a time of few months for them to prepare initial version of such a curriculum and finally the program could be iteratively improved every year. This solution would be of interest for poor and developing countries that can not afford to spend massive amount of money on education. Conversely, a program that would be adjusted to every student would be very expensive and probably only affluent countries would be able to accept such a solution. In my humble opinion, it would be a great investment and without any doubts this approach would benefit not only students but the whole society as people would be educated in a better way and perhaps would be able to find their passions faster. At the same time, the latter solution requires a plethora of resources. Undoubtedly, some students would have to travel from their home town to other places in a country to match them with proper schools and teachers. It would be more cumbersome to compare students and schools. However, this additional struggle would pay off abundantly.

Personally, I find the national curriculum sufficiently good up to the point of 12 years old. Every person has to master basic skills such as writing and reading. After this period, I was able to find my niche and pick and choose books that were of value for me. It was a pity that my school did not provide individual path of teaching and sometimes I was forced to learn things that were of no value for me, instead of pursuing my passions. The first time when this limitations were really removed was the time when I left my high school and entered university that offered a flexible plan. I could have selected the subjects in which I was really interested. Nonetheless, it was a bit too late.

All in all, there are pros and cons for the same national curriculum for students before they enter college. Nevertheless, my final opinion is that it is much better approach to provide each student with tailor-made curriculum. This could help them find their real passions faster and hone on them. My personal experience, social issues and even economical benefits confirm this solution.

Other essays on this topic can be found here: http://greessayaday.blogspot.com/2013/06/a-nation-should-require-all-of-its.html

GRE analytical wirting - analyze an argument: A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation.

The following appeared as part of a letter to the editor of a scientific journal.

"A recent study of eighteen rhesus monkeys provides clues as to the effects of birth order on an individual's levels of stimulation. The study showed that in stimulating situations (such as an encounter with an unfamiliar monkey), firstborn infant monkeys produce up to twice as much of the hormone cortisol, which primes the body for increased activity levels, as do their younger siblings. Firstborn humans also produce relatively high levels of cortisol in stimulating situations (such as the return of a parent after an absence). The study also found that during pregnancy, first-time mother monkeys had higher levels of cortisol than did those who had had several offspring."

Write a response in which you discuss one or more alternative explanations that could rival the proposed explanation and explain how your explanation(s) can plausibly account for the facts presented in the argument.

While the reasoning of this letter may seem correct at first glance, there are some unwarranted assumptions that should be considered and there are lacks of proper correlation between the two main facts. The individual's level of stimulation can be a result of not only a birth order, but also other factors. The author of the letter concentrated only on a birth order and did not take into consideration other possibilities of these effects. Furthermore, what has been concluded for monkeys’ does not demonstrates that humans must possess the same characteristics.

Firstly, the wording of this letter should be taken into account. We cannot find an exact information when the study was carried out and the term 'recent' is rather vague and maybe the research is already obsolete. The author did not inform readers about the selection process of the monkeys. The chances are that this type of effect is common only for this specific group of monkeys and can be a result of an environment in which these very rhesus monkeys were nurtured. The question should be asked how the researchers made sure that the unfamiliar monkey was not met beforehand. Another question worth asking is how the stimulating situations were chosen. The conclusion was based on a sample size of eighteen monkeys. This was not justified why this number of monkeys was sufficient. A sample size is generally a large number and should contain a wide variety of individuals. Moreover, it wan not specified how many of the eighteen monkeys were parents, first born or younger siblings.

Secondly, we can argue that there are other reasons of the increased level of the hormone cortisol. Generally, probably this consequence can appear whenever there is a stimulating situations, especially the one that has to be handled for the first time. It could have happened that during the experiment the oldest sibling was always of a different sex than the unfamiliar monkey. It could have altered the first-born monkey reaction and, for instance, if it had been a male monkey it could have reacted more passionately for the unknown female monkey than its younger sister. We can call this a sex-oriented result.

Thirdly, we do not know all the simulating situations that were checked in case of firt-born humans. The example given with a parent coming back after a long absence can also analysed in terms of sex differences. For example, a reaction of an older daughter can be passionate, whereas a reaction of her younger brother can be even apathetic. The upbringing of children can also be influential for such feedbacks. Perhaps, a mother could have read slushy stories to her first-born, while a father could have read stories about valiant and almost unemotional knights to his younger children. This kind of conditioning could have influenced the following children's reactions to simulating situations.

The last issue to be considered pertains to first-time mothers. The higher level of cortisol could have been caused by conditions in which the monkey was kept or the type of food which was given to her. Maybe, the mother with several offspring were kept in much better or worse conditions. At the same time, an elder mother with several children could have produced more cortisol as a result of her awareness of being too old to be able to deliver health children.

Hence, the birth order may be relevant to some extent in the stimulation level of individuals. However, there may be certain other factors that are more relevant than the birth order such as those discussed above. Further studies and a larger population data maybe more convincing for that matter. The study was concentrated only on one type of causation and there are a few fallacies and inaccuracies in the argument. The author should have provided us with more information about the research process and give more cogent arguments for his or her theory.

GRE essay: Educational institutions have a responsibility to dissuade students from pursuing fields of study in which they are unlikely to succeed.

Educational institutions have a responsibility to dissuade students from pursuing fields of study in which they are unlikely to succeed.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the claim. In developing and supporting your position, be sure to address the most compelling reasons and/or examples that could be used to challenge your position.

Each and every person is unique and searches for the most appropriate path in her or his life. Some people have the impression that the educational system confines their abilities and talents whereas its cardinal purpose should be to broaden horizons and give a hand to students who are lost in the maze of choices. The educational institutions are not omniscient. The institutions ought to persuade and encourage students to identify and follow promising fields of study. Without any doubts, the institutions should not dissuade anybody.

Personally, I experienced this inappropriate approach to education a few times. When I was 12 years old, I had my first lessons on physics. To write the truth, my teacher was rather a sad person and even a bit curmudgeon. She discouraged many students from learning physics. Even though the situation was inauspicious, generally I was interested in different experiments and the coursebook was the most pragmatic among all my books in that time. Once our teacher called me for an oral exam. I knew formulas and was able to answer most of her questions but it was not sufficient for her. She simply chastised me for a lack of preparation and graded me unjustly. I was very disappointed. She recommended me to concentrate on other subjects. Next year, I went to a middle school and had another teacher. Contrary to my previous experience, this teacher was totally different. She was a bubbly and optimistic person. She put her trust in us and believed in our potential. As a matter of fact, three years later I reached the final of a physics contest in my voievodship.

Socially, not every person is a genius and aware of his or her talents. There are many role models in our society and some children can select one that is improper for them. For instance, when I was a child I admired Michael Jordan and wanted to emulate him. I used to play basketball every day for many hours. However, I understood that I was too short and would never be selected in an NBA draft. The essential problem was that there was no advisory board in my school that would assist children in the search for a sport in which they could attain a good outcome.

From the perspective of our history, we can find many examples of people who were able to succeed even though many preached doom and gloom about their future. Probably, the best example is Albert Einstein. His teachers perceived him as a loafer and many of them predicted for him rather placid, humdrum and fruitless career path. As we all know, his story was diametrically different. Moreover, undoubtedly Walt Disney was one of the most prolific writer who altered the American animation industry. He was rejected by many editors and struggled with many problems. Nevertheless, his persistence and ingenuity allowed him to break the moulds and achieve a tremendous success. The same story can be narrated about Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Anthony Robbins and many others.

All in all, I fully disagree with the statement that educational institutions have a responsibility to dissuade students from pursuing fields of study in which they are unlikely to succeed. In my opinion, they should advise, inspire and encourage students to pick and choose suitable fields from a wide range of possibilities.

Woven baskets (GRE analytical writing - analyse an argument)

Woven baskets characterized by a particular distinctive pattern have previously been found only in the immediate vicinity of the prehistoric village of Palea and therefore were believed to have been made only by the Palean people. Recently, however, archaeologists discovered such a "Palean" basket in Lithos, an ancient village across the Brim River from Palea. The Brim River is very deep and broad, and so the ancient Paleans could have crossed it only by boat, and no Palean boats have been found. Thus it follows that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.

Write a response in which you discuss what specific evidence is needed to evaluate the argument and explain how the evidence would weaken or strengthen the argument.

While it may be true that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean, the final conclusion should be evaluated deeper since this author's argument does not make a cogent case. We can find fallacies in the presented reasoning. The text should be analysed in a thoroughgoing way as the argument is rife with holes and assumptions.

First of all, we cannot be 100% sure that there are no specific types of baskets in other regions. Probably, in some regions the excavates were not performed sufficiently enough and we are still in the period before discovering them in other parts of the world. The case of baskets in Lithos can be such an example. On the other hand, there are many possible ways in which the baskets could have been exported from the village of Palea.

One way in which the same baskets could have been woven in Lithos is that a person who lived in Palea would have been able to swim across the river, for example, with a help of a tool that was not a boat. They could have used a wooden board to ameliorate the distance that they could swim. Moreover, they could have used an animal to transport the basket, it could have been a dog. There are also humongous birds that can be tamed such as eagles or falcons which are able to carry heavy items.

Another possibility is that the basket could have been traded to other people. Those people could have gone to far away places where the river was shallow and was able to be crossed effortlessly. The traders could have gone even further and did not have to cross any river since there was somewhere a source of the river.

In my humble opinion it is not only a matter of the basket but also a skill of producing the basket is crucial . Maybe, the basket itself has never reached Lithos, but a person who had a skill of weaving such a basket was able to arrive to Lithos or passed the skill to other people and the same process was continued from generation to generation. Eventually, a person with such a skill entered Lithos.

Probably, it would be worth checking the age of the baskets found in Lithos and Palea. It may occur that the baskets were first created in Lithos. In contrast, the baskets could have been constructed independently in Lithos and Palea. The villages were in close vicinity and the environment there was very similar. It is possible that people who were weaving the baskets imitated the nature and both places could have given the same inspiration to their inhabitants.

To sum up, the presented reasoning can be questioned and it can be proved that there were ways in which the baskets could have been transported from Palea to Lithos. As aforementioned, there are many other ways in which the baskets with the same pattern could have appeared in both places. This author's argument is not cogent and does not prove that the so-called Palean baskets were not uniquely Palean.

To understand the most important characteristics of a society, one must study its major cities.

Write a response in which you discuss the extent to which you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reasoning for the position you take. In developing and supporting your position, you should consider ways in which the statement might or might not hold true and explain how these considerations shape your position.

I fully support the view that one must study the major cities to understand the most important characteristics of a society. In my view, every city in the world exemplifies at least one characteristic of a society. Benjamin Disraeli, a British politician and author said: “A great city, whose image dwells in the memory of man, is the type of some great idea. Rome represents conquest; Faith hovers over the towers of Jerusalem; and Athens embodies the pre-eminent quality of the antique world, Art.”

Firstly, people has gathered in groups since the times we can reach back in our history. The first prominent civilizations such as ancient Egypt and Babylon erected cities whose remnants can prove their existence. Furthermore, many cities are palimpsests and even though many years passed some signs of their previous forms can still be discerned. The long history of many cities confirms a permanent nature of their societies whereas the changes, for example, in cities' architecture can illustrate a dynamic quality of a society. The way people built the cities, lived in them and the type of work which they used to perform on a daily bases gives us profuse insights in their way of organization, law, hierarchy of a society, types of needs, beliefs and religious practices, philosophy and politics, customs, mores and tradition. Generally, this is what constitutes a culture.

Secondly, all major events in our history, apart from some battles, took place in cities. Undoubtedly, ancient Greece is an exemplar. Before Persian wars, Greece was rather a loosely connected group of poleis. “Polis” literally means a city in Greek or can be translated as a city-state. The poleis were famous in various ways. For instance, Spartans were conceived as bilious people and inhabitants of other poleis strived to avoid them. The city of Athens was a popular meeting venue for philosophers and renowned for their politicians. These examples demonstrates likeness of people from a city.

Thirdly, many contemporary cities depict different characteristics. Many European cities have long history and can tell us a story about their past. Warsaw has a war inscribed in its name. The Warsaw Uprising in 1944 can exhibit the determination of the dwellers of the city. They fought fiercely and mercilessly to be able to feel the freedom for at least a few days. The city was totally destroyed after the Second World War and probably in this aspect one can search for the etymology of English version of its name. Even today, the city of Warsaw exposes a very fast pace of life as it was in a war time. Paris is a symbol of culture. The Eiffel tower established the cultural trend in the development of Paris. People who live there conceive themselves as very creative and all developing artists yearn for an appreciation in Paris. Last but not least argument is the tendency of visiting a country. Indeed, many travellers do not leave city borders.

On the other hand, current humongous cities such as New York and London become similar to each other. The main reason for this situation is globalisation. People travel from one place to another and there are few cities that remained homogeneous. For example, probably Tarnów, a city in southern Poland, reflects the main characteristics of Polish society while it is rather more difficult to discern the characteristics of British society in London.

To sum up, the main characteristics of a society cannot be understood without a thorough analysis of its cities. The cities are indispensable to comprehend many aspects of societies and have been present since the beginning of our history. A city as a place of living for a society is also important for the smooth functioning and continuity of the society. Hence a city itself is a characteristic of society. Famous Greek Philosopher, Aristotle remarked that 'Man is a social animal' and a city is where this need is fulfilled. A city transforms an abstract concept of a society into a tangible evidence.

Childhood is NOT the happiest time of a person's life

Many people look back on their childhood. It is a very important period in our life as then we lay the foundations of the rest of our days. However, we are not fully independent. In my opinion, childhood is not the happiest time of a person's life. I prefer to be in my twenties. The bases for my view are financial, personal and social.

Financially-speaking, I could not afford many things having only my pocket money. My parents fully decided about the most important and at the same time the most expensive expenses. Currently, I am in my twenties and can earn money. I know what I want to buy and what I want to invest my money in. When I was a child, I was able to discern good investment opportunities, but my parents never gave me money to do that, because I was too young and they were afraid that I could lose everything. Now, I plan my budget myself and am fully aware how much I can spend. 

Personally, as a child you cannot select a place where you live and with whom. You have to live with your family and meet with friends only from your backyard, since you are not allowed to wander too far from home. Some of your friends might be kind, but frequently there are older boys who behave like bullies and think of themselves as rulers of the backyard. Nowadays, I can choose where I live, where I go and with whom I spend my time. I can find people who have similar interests to mine and I can enjoy my time fully. 

Socially, I can vote and am citizen whose voice is audible. People no longer treat me like a child who is not responsible for its actions. They have to take my opinion into account and I have more influence the world I live in.

In conclusion, we should not think too much about our childhood and be aware of its disadvantages. My point of view is that we should make this very moment the happiest time in our life.

People say that a good sense of humour is one of the most important human qualities

For many people life is challenging and even tough. Many times we have to confront injustice or simply complaints from other people even when using public transport. In my opinion, in many cases it is better and healthier to just smile and turn an accusation into a joke instead of beginning a quarrel. Thus, I fully agree that a good sense of humour is one of the most important human qualities.

Considering the general public, we can notice that we generally do not like sad people and many public figures, especially the successful ones know about that and use the knowledge on a daily basis. The best speakers in my country usually insert in their long speeches some jokes and that makes people more concentrated on the content of the speech because they wait for the next joke. Furthermore, the most popular professor at my university starts his lecture with a joke and even if his lecture commences early in the morning, nobody is late because everybody wants to listen to his jokes.

Personally, I found that many times my sense of humour can express my internal thoughts and feelings. Moreover, when I meet a friend of mine who is cheerful and full of happiness, the person can make me feel happy as well and transfer his or her internal good state into my mood and feelings. On the other hand, if a person is sarcastic then the effect is opposite, even though a joke can be funny. I hate black humour and my point of view is that we should avoid this kind of humour. 

Socially, it seems to me that most women like funny men. My friend prepares some new jokes before every date and he always has a good time with his girlfriends. A good joke is a good ice breaker and especially at a beginning of a new relationship. It works not only in our personal life but also in business. I remember that my first manager recommended me to 'crack a joke' from time to time. Once, we had a lot of work and had to stay a bit longer in our office. There was a beautiful sunset and he complained that he had to be still at work. Then I said that fortunately it had not been a beautiful sunrise. We laughed at it and instead of complaining we finished our work faster.

All in all, the sense of humour is very important. We should use it judiciously and avoid laughing at others. We should try to find a positive element in every aspect of our lives. A good sense of humour can help us in many fields, even in accelerating our career success and enhancing personal life.