Thought the SAT was tough? Be grateful you're not in China. Forbes recently translated the essay prompts from China's national college entrance exam, a high-stakes test that could offer students a spot at "a prestigious university or a major with good employment prospects -- or relegate them to staying behind in high school to retake the exam next year." The test comes in two versions (sciences or non-sciences) and covers Chinese, math, and foreign languages. Students choose the version they take based on the track they chose in high school.
The following essay prompts are translated from China's 2009 College Entrance Exam Nationwide:
Essay Prompt 1
The rabbit is the reigning champion sprinter of the small animal sports games, but he can’t swim. One time, the rabbit was chased by the wolf to a river and almost got caught. The Animal Management Bureau wants small animals to develop in a well-rounded way, and sent the rabbit to a swim class. In the same class are the dog, the turtle, the squirrel, among others. The dog and the turtle learned how to swim, adding to their skills. They were very happy. The rabbit and the squirrel spent a long time learning but failed, and they were upset. The instructor, the wild duck, said “My two legs can swim, but your four legs can’t? Sweat makes up 90% of success! Go! Quack, quack!”
The analyst, the frog, let out a big sigh: “The rabbit’s forte is sprinting! Why do we only combat weaknesses but not develop strengths?” The intellectual, the crane, said: “Survival requires more skills than one! The rabbit can’t learn to swim, then he can learn to dig holes! The squirrel can’t learn to swim, then he can learn to climb trees!”
Please select a point of view and make clear your position. Choose your essay style and give your own title. Don’t stray from the provided material and its ideas. Don’t plagiarize.
Additional Essay Prompt For Beijing Test-Takers
There's a song that goes: "I have a pair of invisible wings / that let me fly, give me hope. / I have a pair of invisible wings / that let me fly, fly far away." Using "I have a pair of invisible wings" as your topic, write an essay of no less than 800 words. Select your own literary form, excluding poetry. [The lyrics are from the popular 2006 song, "Invisible Wings," by Taiwanese pop star Angela Chang.]