492 McGRAW-HILL’S SAT
Sample Essays: Practice Essay 6
Consider carefully the issue discussed in the following passage, then write an essay that answers the
question posed in the assignment.Acquiring knowledge is like scaling a mountain. The proper attitude in reaching a
summit, however, is to marvel not so much at one’s achievement as at the glorious view
of the unknown beyond. A well-educated person is known not so much for the ques-
tions he or she can answer as for the questions he or she can ask.Assignment: What is one great question that every educated person should ask?Write an
essay in which you indicate what this question should be and explain the reasons for
your choice. You may draw inspiration and support from literature, the arts, history,
politics, science and technology, current events, or your experience or observation.Sample: 6 points out of 6
A well-educated person is known more for the questions he or she asks than for the questions he or she can an-
swer. One great question that I think every educated person should ask is whether the news they read and hear
is based on objective facts or subjective views. Within moments, any important news story will be studied,
filmed, and disseminated for an entire world to see. Televisions broadcast this information for global audiences
and, instantaneously, a world opinion is formed. But does this presentation resemble more closely an objective
analysis or a “spun” interpretation of an image-conscious presenter?
Most people think of “news” as the factual story of what is going on in the world. Few would say that the
news is a script produced by businessmen seeking ratings and profits, although this is an uncontroversial fact
that’s hard to deny. Most people either accept what they see in the media as facts or cynically dismiss everything
they hear as propaganda. Hiding somewhere in between these two extremes is perspective, the ability to inde-
pendently judge what is factual and, from that, to create a unique and personal view.
We are continually bombarded with flashy images, scandalous revelations, and sound bites devoid of con-
text. Journalists interpret and explain the news for us, encouraging us to sit quietly rather than think. An edu-
cated person must view this programming with a skeptical eye. Every story is tainted by subjectivity, no matter
how distant the producer. The educated viewer, however, must be disciplined enough to recognize how the
corporate media “spins” the news. By analyzing the differences among storytellers, the viewer can better under-
stand what is real and what is merely opinion.
Information can be potent. Truthful information, in particular, has the power to unite or fracture, to en-
lighten or confirm previously held beliefs. Unfortunately, truth is slippery, easily lost in the swirling winds of
global communication. Educated people must pursue the truth by asking questions and resisting the urge to ac-
cept every image flashed before them. Education teaches us to analyze situations from multiple angles when-
ever possible. Those who have embraced the moral value of critical thinking will apply that ideal to the world
around them, treating every bit of news only as a piece of information open to debate and intense analysis.
Evaluation:This essay provides an excellent examination of the issue of motives and professionalism in journal-
ism to support the idea that every educated person should ask the question, “Is the news objective?” It examines
common perceptions of the journalistic media and argues for “perspective” on the part of an educated observer. It
is well organized and persuasive, although it could have been made more effective with a discussion of more spe-
cific examples.