Comprehensive Arguments and Evidence for Middle School Essays

Author: Huang Xin
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2006-07-01
Features: Perseverance—the Cornerstone of Success
A piano prodigy wins a gold medal in an international competition. Seeing such a report might not shock you, as there are many young people learning the piano in China, and those who play the piano well are not few. But when you know the effort he has made for this, you might be moved by the spirit behind his success. He could sit at the piano for 11 hours every day. 11 hours is 39,600 seconds. To maintain a sitting posture for 39,600 seconds—that would be incredibly difficult to endure! He could practice the same piece of music for 11 hours straight. Sitting at the piano for 11 hours is already a challenge, but practicing the same piece repeatedly for that long—how much harder could it be! It would undoubtedly be filled with too much monotony, boredom, and tediousness! But it was this perseverance that led him to his eventual success.
A female top scorer in the liberal arts section of the college entrance examination said in an interview, “Every morning, no matter if it’s windy or rainy, I insist on running 3,000 meters; I have never slept before 1 a.m. every day.” These numbers are astonishing! Of course, every top scorer in the college entrance examination has their own "secret formula," and not everyone exercises in the morning or stays up late like her. But I believe that the path to success for every top scorer must include perseverance and similar arduous efforts.
There was once a best-selling book that stayed at the top of the bestseller list for several months. The author of this bestseller was not yet accustomed to writing on a computer and preferred to handwrite his manuscripts. He was 1.72 meters tall, but the stack of manuscripts he had either completed or discarded was as high as 1.74 meters, even taller than his height by 2 centimeters! This 1.74-meter-high stack of handwritten manuscripts was all written by him, stroke by stroke. During the writing process, due to prolonged sitting, the 1.72-meter-tall author developed cervical spondylosis. He visited doctors and applied painkillers countless times. His extraordinary efforts and unwavering perseverance ultimately led the book to become a bestseller, adding a brilliant chapter to his life.
Full, Not Hiring
At the age of 22, Simon Fogg graduated from the University of Birmingham and came to London in search of a job. After thorough preparation, he decided to apply to the world-renowned The Times. He walked into the CEO’s office and asked respectfully, “Do you need an editor?” The CEO glanced at him, who looked unremarkable, and said, “No.” “Journalists?” “Not looking for one either.” Undeterred, he continued, “Then what about typesetters or proofreaders?” The CEO was already getting impatient and said, “No, none of those. We don’t have any openings right now.” At this point, almost every job seeker would leave disappointed, as the CEO’s attitude indicated that the newspaper was “not hiring” anyone. But Simon Fogg didn’t think so. He took a small, exquisite plaque from his bag and handed it to the CEO, saying, “Then you must need this.” The CEO took it and saw the words: Full, Not Hiring. As a result, Simon Fogg was retained by the CEO to work on the newspaper’s publicity. Twenty years later, he became the editor-in-chief of the newspaper.
Tao Yuanming on Perseverance
A young student sought guidance from Tao Yuanming. Tao Yuanming took him to the fields and pointed to rice plants about a foot tall, asking, “Take a close look—have they grown taller yet?” The student squatted down, staring intently at the seedlings for a long time and said, “They haven’t grown at all.” Tao Yuanming asked, “Really? Then how did these spring seedlings grow to be a foot tall?” The student shook his head, confused. Tao Yuanming explained, “In fact, the seedlings grow every moment, but we don’t notice it. Learning is the same. Knowledge grows bit by bit, sometimes so gradually that we don’t even realize it. But as long as you keep studying diligently and persevere, you will go from knowing little to knowing much. That’s why some say, ‘Diligent study is like the growth of spring seedlings—it may not seem to increase, but it grows day by day.’”
Next, Tao Yuanming pointed to a large grinding stone and asked, “Why does this grinding stone have a concave depression like a saddle?” The student replied, “It’s worn down.” Tao Yuanming then asked, “Have you ever seen which day it was worn down like this?” The student said, “No.” Tao Yuanming further guided him, “It’s because farmers grind their knives, sickles, and hoes on it every day, and over time, it becomes worn down like this. This shows that ‘ceasing study is like grinding a knife on a stone—it may not seem to decrease, but it loses day by day.’ Once you stop learning, the knowledge you’ve acquired will gradually fade away without notice.”
Through Tao Yuanming’s patient and thoughtful guidance, the young student finally understood the importance of learning step by step and persevering. He must not give up.
Never Give Up
In 1948, Oxford University held a lecture titled “The Secret of Success,” inviting Winston Churchill to speak. On the day of the lecture, the hall was packed with people, and major news outlets from around the world were also present. Churchill raised his hand to stop the thunderous applause and said, “My secret of success is only three: Never give up; second, never, never give up; third, never, never, never give up! My speech is over.” With that, he walked off the stage. The hall fell silent for a minute, then erupted into warm applause that lasted long and strong.
Always Positive
On a rock in the mountains of Washington, D.C., a sign stands, telling future climbers that this was where a female hiker lay down and died. The shelter she was searching for—the “Hiker’s Cabin”—was just 100 steps away. If she had endured just 100 more steps, she could have lived. This example reminds people to keep going just a little longer before giving up. The victor is often the one who can endure just one minute longer than others. Even when exhausted, people still have a little energy left. Those who use that little energy are the eventual winners.