2014年12月四级写作真题讲解(第1套)

Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay about a classmate of yours who has influenced you most in college. You should state the reasons and write at least 120 words but no more than 180 words.

参考答案：
A Classmate Who Has Influenced Me Most in College
Once upon a time, I was not so confident about my study and was subject to being pessimistic when confronted with frustrations. However, I found myself gradually changing as Tom, one of my classmates in college, strove to encourage me. I really appreciate his help.
I used not to be good at English; however, whenever I was confused about the teacher’s explanation, he always interpreted it to me in an explicit way. Gradually, I found English not so difficult and made progress day by day. In addition, it was Tom who kept guiding me how to live through all kinds of setbacks in life. I’ll never forget the very day when I failed my speech contest and I was overwhelmed and ashamed. Tom told me that nobody can defeat a person if he is determined to stand up to every failure. With his encouragement, I regained confidence, realizing that optimism was always the key to success.
Thanks to Tom, I eventually learned the significance of self-confidence and optimism. They not only serve as indispensable characteristics of personality but also will benefit people all his life.