486 McGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Sometimes my buddy Paul would pick up on the vibe and we’d jam for hours. Our band, the Badunks, was
my whole world. But two years later, that all changed. The spark wasn’t there any more between Paul and me,
and as soon as we stopped growing musically, Badunk began to die.
I think about those years a lot now, and I guess it was inevitable. Paul is a smart guy and, unlike me, he was
inspired by history and physics and started to groove on DBQs and equations instead of NRBQ and The Per-
suasions. We both got girlfriends, and you know how love isn’t nearly as inspirational when it’s no longer just
out of reach. We just weren’t able to find the time to jam together, to write together, to just talk music together.
Even though Paul and I are still best friends, I feel like I’ve lost my real best friend—music.
I guess music is a person. You have to nurture it if you want it to stick around. If you don’t give it what it
needs, which is your whole commitment, your whole soul, then it begins to wither into those dried-up jingles
you hear on shampoo or dog food commercials.
Evaluation:This essay uses a consistent first-person narrative to support the point of view that, without growth,
musical inspiration begins to die. It explores a single example in depth, but it does so with a clear sense of organi-
zation and a well-developed style. The author uses imagery and metaphor very effectively. Although not written
in the traditional five-paragraph expository form, its overall effect is persuasive and insightful. It does not get the
highest possible score because it does not discuss the concept of “growth” beyond the author’s personal musical
experience.