Directions: For this part you are allowed 30 minutes to write an essay commenting on the remark “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it.” You can give examples to illustrate your point and then explain what you will do to make your life more meaningful. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
范文
The famous saying “The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that will outlast it” is rather thought-provoking, which tells us the real meaning of life. It is contemporary social issue in China with common interests and permanent value. In my view, there are good reasons to undertake meaningful things that exert positive and profound influence on the society, such as protecting the environment, helping vulnerable groups as well as promoting education. To illustrate, Abraham Lincoln never wavered in his devotion to democracy and equality, whose life has become an inspiration in the United States and throughout the whole world. His life, though limited, definitely lasts longer, and is a life worth living. Likewise, a young person who aspires to be a great writer might decide to buy some literary books or spend weekends writing and refining his works. Without any aspiration, he might simply end up spending all his spare time surfing online or playing Internet games. In brief, a meaningful life serves to motivate and guide us in our daily lives. It provides us with the focus and direction that enable us to work towards accomplishing a special goal, objective or task.
outlast v. 超过 rather 相当 thought-provoking a. 发人深思的 contemporary 当代的 social issue 社会问题 common interests 普遍关注 in my view 在我看来 undertake 从事 exert positive and profound influence on 产生积极深远的影响protecting the environment 保护环境 helping vulnerable group帮助弱势群体 == as well as== 以及 promoting education发展教育 to illustrate例如 waver 动摇 devotion 决心 democracy 民主 equality 平等 inspiration 鼓舞 South Africa 南非 throughout 贯穿 definitely 无疑 likewise 又如 aspire 激励 literary 文学的 refine 修改 surfing online 网上冲浪 playing Internet games 玩网络游戏 serves to 用来 motivate 鼓舞 focus 焦点 enable 使能够 accomplish 完成 objective 目标
佳句拓展
Doing something little but meaningful things can also show the greatest use of life, such as offering a seat to a woman with a child. 做一些小而有意义的事情也能尽人生最大所用，例如给一位带孩子的妇女让座。
If there is a way to make my life more meaningful, I reckon it should be to find something I am interested in and also is conducive to others or the whole society. 如果有种方式来让我的人生更有意义，我认为那将是找到我感兴趣的事情，这也对他人或整个社会有益。
I am deeply convinced that these positive efforts we make continuously will turn into a tremendous influence on our society in a good way, which is the greatest gift we can give to the future world. 我深信我们持续的积极努力将以一种正面的方式对社会产生巨大影响，而这使我们能给未来世界最好的礼物。
