Master Critics' Top-Scoring Essays from the Gaokao (Latest Revised Edition)

Author: Liu Lu
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: In my opinion, the value of writing such a book lies in:
First, it provides a platform for middle school students to communicate. Indeed, today's newspapers, magazines, and books are abundant, with a flood of information overwhelming readers. However, most of the content is dominated by renowned experts and adults. The mindset, emotions, and perspectives of these experts and seasoned writers are not on the same starting line as middle school students. Their understanding of society, evaluation of life, and perception of the environment differ greatly among people of different ages and educational backgrounds. Communication is often easiest among those of the same level. For example, competitive sports have distinct divisions like the Olympics, National Games, Universiade, and Provincial Games. Reading works by peers can inspire, motivate, and foster healthy competition among them, preventing the sense of helplessness and sighs of inadequacy that comes from comparing themselves to renowned experts.
Second, it provides middle school students with models for writing. The Zhongkao (high school entrance exam) and Gaokao (university entrance exam) require students to complete assigned essays under specific conditions and within limited time. During the exam, students must learn how to analyze the topic, formulate a thesis, select materials, structure their ideas, draft their essays, draw on past life experiences, reference read works, break down large topics into smaller ones, connect and elaborate, control word count, and arrange paragraphs. The perfect essays provide practical answers for future writers. Compared to vague writing knowledge, these examples are more vivid, empirical, and directional, offering greater operational and practical value.
Of course, they also provide relevant materials for middle school Chinese teachers to teach writing. When facing these outstanding works, teachers should view them as a challenge. Our educational philosophy, talent concepts, knowledge standards, teaching abilities, thinking quality, and teaching attitudes should keep pace with the times and instill a sense of urgency to be surpassed by the younger generation. "A great teacher can produce outstanding students. Only a teacher like Jin Tielin can teach Li Guyi, Song Zuying, Zhang Ye, and Yan Weiwen." As the renowned writer and Chinese educationist Wu Bosao once said, "A doctor with limited medical skills is no good. One must be a well-read expert, a masterful hand, or even possess inherited secret recipes."
Lastly, it is important to note the criteria for selecting essays in this book. We consider that it is unrealistic to expect perfection from essays written by middle school students in just one hour. Even though an essay earns full marks, it still shows immaturity in many aspects, much like the champions of a middle school sports meet, who cannot be compared to Olympic champions. As for the expert critiques of these essays, they focus primarily on writing techniques, highlighting key features to attract attention, rather than providing a comprehensive evaluation of the essays.