popular options include athletic exercise W r i t i n g

Question 4: 15 pts

Read the following article:

RHON: Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years?

Don’t be disillusioned anymore—don’t hope without acting, don’t wish without doing.

By Jim Rohn , January 17, 2016

Here is a good question to ask yourself: Where are you going? Ten years from now you will surely arrive. The question is, where? We don’t want to kid ourselves about where; we don’t want to kid ourselves about the road we’re walking. At 25, shortly after meeting my mentor Earl Shoaff, I had a day called “Do Not Kid Myself Anymore” day. I didn’t want to be disillusioned anymore. I finally decided that the crossed-finger theory was not going to get me what I wanted. It wasn’t where the treasure lies. I was going to have to make sure which way I was headed. Then, with Mr. Shoaff’s help, I found a few reading disciplines (Links to an external site.), a few disciplines of mind (Links to an external site.) and a few disciplines of activity (Links to an external site.), when exercised, can make all the difference in the world as to where you will arrive. But it just took a few changes.

Sometimes we get the idea that we’re doing 10 percent and there’s 90 percent more that we need to make the difference for our fortune, but probably the opposite is true. We’re doing enough things to have bought and shared in the good life. And maybe all we need is that extra 5 or 10 percent of intellectual change, activity change, refinement of discipline, refinement of thought. And all we need is the ideas to make those simple changes and the equity starts gathering in one year, three years, five years or 10 years.

But now is the time to fix the next 10 years. You may have to come to grips with reality and with truth; that’s what was good for me when I met Mr. Shoaff. I was 25 years old; he was 44 years old. He brought me a wealth of experience and he started asking me the tough questions. “Big question,” he said. “Are you reading the books that are going to take you where you want to go in the next five years?” Excellent question. To get to where you want to be in the next five years, you are either reading the right books or you’re not. You’re either engaged in the disciplines or you’re not. But here’s what we don’t want to engage in: disillusion. Hoping without acting. Wishing without doing.

The key is to look and say, Where am I? What could I do to make the changes to ensure that I can take more certain daily steps toward the treasure I want, the mental treasure, the personal treasure, the spiritual treasure, the financial treasure? I don’t want to make any more errors, now’s the time to adjust my daily program to take me where I want to go.

The key is to start right now making these changes to walk this new road. Just a few daily disciplines makes a great deal of difference. And before you know it, you will be walking a brand new road.

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS QUESTION:

WRITE 1 Paragraph, about 10-12 sentences, use correct spelling, grammar, word usage, punctuation, complete sentences ON: You may have been asked the question “Where do you see yourself in five years?/ten years?” before, but it is something we should ask ourselves on a regular basis. This helps us to keep our long term goals in mind, and keeps us on track to meet those goals. So, for this paragraph, tell me where do you see yourself in ten years? What is it that you want to accomplish by 2028? (Because this is an opinion question, you may write in first person I – but please do not use second person you/your/yours)

Question 5: 15 pts

Read the following article:

Benefits of Reading
November 3, 2011
By editpem3 SILVER, Glendale, Arizona

Reading is probably one of the most beneficial and feasible activities that a man can do. It is through reading that a person is going to be able to discover new ideas, concepts, places, and people. Some people even describe reading as a journey that starts as the opening of a page, and finishes as the last page is turned. The reason why reading is so important is because reading is relaxing to our mind and soul; it is a way for children to reach out to the world, and it improves our thinking process.

The first reason why reading is so beneficial in our lives is that a book furnishes relaxation to our mind and soul. There is something about stopping to focus on words during reading that is instantly relaxing. Maybe it is just staying still in a chair, something that does not seem to happen often in our lives. Stress is a major concern for a lot of people because of the day to day labor. Even if we have a stressful day, a book can easily distract us from our own problems. Reading has ability to calm us down, and dispense peace.

The second reason why reading is so beneficial in our lives is that reading is relaxing, and it is also a way for children to reach out to the world. Reading should be encouraged among children at an early age. This is significant because there are numerous benefits that children can dilate from reading. Aside from mushrooming qualities and senses, reading also reports knowledge and information to their brains. It is no secret that reading increases children’s vocabulary and spelling more than talking or direct teaching. Reading forces us to look at words that we might not have seen or heard in our lives. In fact, languages in children’s books are likely to be more complicated than their average conversation. A large number of children who read are articulate while the others are not, “As a man thinks, so shall he become.” (The Bible)

The third reason why reading is so beneficial is that reading improves our thinking process. Reading books require readers to think and imagine about different details in the book such as characters and plot; this provides us to improve our thinking process. Repeating a habit of reading and persuading the brain to be more buoyant and absorb more information will give us a great beneficial. It also obliges readers to focus on what they are reading for long periods. Unlike magazines, internet posts or e-mails that might contain small pieces of information, books tell the whole story. Since the readers must concentrate in order to read, they will improve their concentration, thinking abilities, and plunge them into their brains.

Everyone knows that a person who reads will be successful and a person who doesn’t will either not do so well than others or eventually fail in life. If we want to be known as a profound person instead of being a delinquent one who begrudges the successful person, we must start changing our habits. “No entertainment is so cheap as reading, or any pleasures so lasting.” (Montagu), reading may look very prickly outside but if we actually remove the husk, it is our companion that assists us to go through our livings. It will not only refresh our mind and soul but it will give us a great outlook towards life.

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS QUESTION:

WRITE 1 Paragraph, about 10-12 sentences, sue the correct spelling, grammar, word usage, punctuation, complete sentences ON: What are the three reasons reading is beneficial? Describe your reading habits – do you read, if so, what do you read? How often do you read? What do you get out of reading on a personal level? Have you learned anything about yourself through reading, and if so what? After reading this article, what are some changes you could make in your life to read more?

Question 6: 25 pts

Read the following article

Reasons to Get a College Degree
A College Degree Can Offer a Lifetime of Benefits
by Kelci Lynn Lucier

Being in college is hard in many ways: financially, academically, personally, socially, intellectually, physically. And most students question why they are trying to get a college degree at some point during their college experience. Simple reminders of the reasons why you want to get a college degree can help keep you on track when you feel like getting off.

Tangible Reasons to Get a College Degree
1. You’ll make more money: figures range from several hundred thousand to a million dollars or more over your lifetime. Regardless of the details, however, you’ll have more income.
2. You’ll have a lifetime of increased opportunities. More job openings, more chances at promotions, and more flexibility with which jobs you take (and keep) are just a few of the doors that will be opened when you have your degree in hand.
3. You’ll be more empowered as an agent in your own life. You’ll be better educated about the things that have an impact on your day-to-day existence: knowing how to read a lease, having an understanding of how the markets will influence your retirement accounts, and handling the finances of your family. A college education can empower you in all kinds of ways to be more in control of your life’s logistics.
4. You’ll be better able to weather adversity. From having more money available (see #1 in this list!) in a savings account to having marketable skills and an education during an economic downturn, having a degree can come in handy when life throws you a curve.
5. You’ll always be marketable. Having a college degree is becoming increasingly important in the job market. Consequently, having a degree now will open doors for the future, which will in turn open more doors and make you more marketable later … and the cycle continues.

Intangible Reasons to Get a College Degree
1. You’ll lead a more examined life. The critical thinking and reasoning skills you learn in college will stay with you for a lifetime.
2. You can be an agent of change for others. Many social service positions, from doctor and lawyer to teacher and scientist, require a college degree (if not a graduate degree). Being able to help others means you have to educate yourself to do so through your time in school.
3. You’ll have more access to resources. In addition to the financial resources, you’ll have access to through your higher income, you’ll also have resources in all kinds of unexpected and intangible ways. Your roommate from freshman year who is now an attorney, your friend from chemistry class who is now a doctor, and the person you met at the alumni mixer who may offer you a job next week are the kinds of benefits and resources that are hard to plan for — but that can make all the difference in the world.
4. You’ll have future opportunities in ways you may not be considering now. When you graduate from college, you may have never even given a second thought to graduate school. But as you get older, you may unexpectedly develop a strong interest in medicine, law, or education. Having that undergraduate degree already under your belt will allow you to pursue your dreams once you realize where they are going.
5. You’ll have a strong sense of pride and self. You may be the first person in your family to graduate from college or you may come from a long line of graduates. Either way, knowing you earned your degree will undoubtedly give a lifetime of pride to yourself, your family, and your friends.

REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS QUESTION ARE DIFFERENT FROM THE OTHER QUESTIONS:

DIRECTIONS FOR THIS QUESTION:

WRITE 1 Paragraph (15-20 sentences), use correct spelling, grammar, word usage, punctuation, complete sentences ON:

Choose 2 of the tangible reasons to get a college degree that you identify most with and write 3-5 sentences about how you identify with those reasons

Choose 2 of the intangible reasons you identify most with and write 3-5 sentences about how you identify with those reasons

Then in about 5-8 sentences, provide a good argument for getting a college degree as if you were trying to get a friend or family member to go to college – REMEMBER you can use first person, but DO NOT USE 2nd PERSON you, your, yours. EXAMPLE ARTICLE AND RESPONSE PARAGRAPH:

Dealing with Stress During College

May 25, 2011

Whether you’re facing final exams, managing a long distance relationship or just struggling to stay on top of a pile of homework, college can be a stressful time. Don’t succumb to anxiety – follow these simple tips for dealing with stress during college.

Conquer Your Stress

• College students face a host of stressors. University-level homework may be more challenging (and plentiful!) than anything you’ve ever faced before, and final exams can bring a whole new meaning to the term ‘crunch time.’
• The difficulties also don’t typically end with academics. Romance and social lives can be as much a source of anxiety as they are of fun, and many students struggle to stay on top of the newfound freedoms of living away from home, from cooking to laundry to managing a budget.
• In response to these challenges, some students fall behind on homework, stop attending class or worse – they turn to dangerous coping mechanisms like drugs or alcohol. Don’t let this happen to you! Here are some ideas for managing your college life and keeping your stress levels under control.

Set time for:

School Work. This will probably your biggest source of stress. School work may not be your favorite thing to do, but is a must-do in order to graduate from college! For every hour of lecture per week (equivalent to one unit), you should set aside 2-3 hours to study outside of classroom (Calpoly.edu). While studying, eliminate distractions so that you can stay focused. Pick a place that you are comfortable being at, whether it’s in the library, a coffee shop, or the student lounge. If studying for 2-3 hours per unit is not realistic for you, try to schedule yourself with a combination of some less challenging courses with difficult ones in the same quarter/semester. This will allow you to avoid feeling overloaded. Of course, if you enjoy a particular subject, studying for it won’t feel like an obligation. So, pick classes that interest you!

Social Activities. Juggling between your social niches and school work can be a challenge, but spending all you effort only on school work could be draining. Make use of the college environment to find a work-life balance. Being in college is the best time and setting for you to build life-long relationships, as well as expand your social and professional networks. Use social platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, and Tumblr. Join social groups and professional groups; attend activities and have fun at the same time. This will allow you to relax and see things in the real world. Don’t forget to network for success! Manage a professional profile on LinkedIn and collect contacts. It’s never too early to expand the horizon of unlimited possibilities. More importantly, learn work-life balance.

Sleep. Most college students make the same mistake — we sacrifice sleep for everything else. When our body is weak, it induces stress. leading to small mistakes, simply because we are too exhausted to make good decisions or function on a regular basis. Resting is part of life. 1/3 of our lifetime is meant to be sleeping. Don’t forget to restore your energy by scheduling 6-8 hours of sleep for most nights. Take care of yourself.

Yourself. You may not know how important it is to spend time for yourself just yet. There are so many distractions that you can’t reject, such as the dinner party last night, the sorority gathering tonight, and the college dance that you have been longing to go to with your roommates. Yes, you have been sick and coughing for 2 weeks but you feel like it’s getting better. Finals are not for another week so you can study for them after the weekend. Being young and energetic is awesome; you can use it to the max…until two days before finals. You can’t cram 4 subjects worth of notes from the past 10 weeks into a tired brain, and stress can take over. It is just so easy to get carried away by all that’s happening. Try to plan at least an afternoon each week for yourself to rest, work out, lounge, ride a bike, read, lay by the beach… anything for yourself. Unwind. Just so you can have space to be creative and think about bigger and better things.

Most importantly, learn to be good at time management and organization; it will make your life easier. Time to bust out the calendar on your smartphone to mark the time and dates of every plan that you have! It will be your best friend.

Set goals that are:

Realistic. When you try to reach too many challenging goals at once, it can cause anxiety and even a feeling of helplessness when you encounter obstacles. Goals can vary depending on situations. How about we start with what you need to work on; set goals that are challenging yet attainable. For example, if you failed a class last quarter, you know exactly what we need to do this quarter — pass all classes; otherwise, academic probation! So how do you do this? The goals for this quarter can be: attend classes, set XX hours to study every week, check in with professors and TAs every few weeks about our progress and ask questions. Making small steps to succeed can help reduce your fear of failing.

Your dream. You might feel lost at times because you can’t visualize your future. Your dream might be succeeding in college and getting a job, or it might be to own your own business. At the end of the day, what you should know is what’s most important to you and prioritize it. Having a dream can help you reduce anxiety while making choices, especially when you know you’re chasing after an ultimate goal.

Develop:

Good coping mechanism. Some stress will be unavoidable, so it’s important to develop healthy ways to deal with it. Popular options include athletic exercise, meditation or simple breathing exercises. Find something that works for you and incorporate it into your routines. If needed, pay a visit to the counseling office. Every school has one open to students who need the support. Sometimes, stress can be your motivation. Stay positive!

Relationship with TAs and Professors. Learn to establish connections with professional individuals, especially with your teachers. Attend office hours at least a couple of times a semester/quarter. This can help start a professional connection. Who knows if this can help you get a letter of recommendation or a referral to a job opportunity in the future. In the meanwhile, if situations come up and you feel overwhelmed by your school work, they are the right people to seek out for help! Tell them your needs. They are there for you.

Financial management skills. Your source of income can be limited during college. Besides paying tuition, you may have a few other expenses to attend to, such as social events, travel, food…etc. It’s a smart choice to live on campus the first year, just so you don’t have to spend energy and time managing such logistics. However, if financial constraints eventually becomes a source of stress, try using free assistance, such as Mint.com to help monitor your expense, and make adjustments accordingly.

Example of what you will be asked to write about: (the actual topics on the exam will most likely be different from these)

WRITE 1 Paragraph, about 10-12 sentences, use correct spelling, grammar, word usage, punctuation, complete sentences ON: What kind of stress have you experienced in college (whether this is your first semester or second time around)? How do you deal with that stress? After reading this article, are there any tips that you plan to use to help you mange stress in the future, and if so, what are they?

(Because this is an opinion question, you may write in first person I – but please do not use second person you/your/yours)