托福考试作文范文：守旧还是冒险

　　Do experienced or new things

　　托福写作题目：

　　Some people like to do only what they alreadydo well. Other people prefer to try new things and take risks. Which do youprefer? Use specific reasons and examples to support your choice.

　　托福写作范文：

　　The choice betweencontinuing to do only those things in which one is proficient and striking outinto new, unfamiliar territory is difficult. There is comfort in remaining withinfamiliar parameters, but growth happens only when we exceed those boundaries.Faced with the

　　choice between only doing things that I know I do well andtaking risks, I prefer taking risks for several reasons.

　　First, taking risksexpands my range of knowledge and affords me the wisdom that comes throughcomparison. For instance, although I was born and raised in the United Statesuntil I was twenty years old, I have had the opportunity to live in threedifferent countries since that time: Germany, China, and Great Britain. Had Idecided to remain in the United States without taking the risk and challenge ofadapting to different cultures and languages, my life would have been easier.However, the experience of living in varied countries with differing socialmorals and worldviews has enhanced my knowledge through comparison. Withoutliving in other countries, I would not have the knowledge to critically examinemy American upbringing, holding onto some values while discarding others.Furthermore, taking the risk of living in other countries has allowed me togain a sense of empathy and understanding for cultures vastly different than myown. Another reason thatI prefer taking risks is that risks force me to grow. It is true that simplydoing tasks that I do well would be a safe, prudent way to live life. However,taking risks compels me to expand my abilities. For example, although I was nota vocal player, my

　　basketball coach asked me to be team captain for my finalseason in high school. I could have declined the offer, and remained in

　　thebackground, but I chose to take the risk to lead the team. Through thisexperience, I learned valuable lessons in leadership; motivation, anddiscipline. More importantly, leading the team brought me closer to each individualplayer, many of whom I still count as my friends. Had I not accepted my coach'scall to captain the basketball team that season, I would have never learnedthese valuable lessons and developed these deeper friendships.

　　Taking risks has also taught me resilience in the face of failure.When I was entering graduate school, I needed money to finance my education.Consequently, I applied for several scholarships.

　　Unfortunately, I was deniedfor almost all of them. However, by

　　sticking my neck out, and applying forscholarships even when I was a long-shot candidate, I learned that scholarshipcommittees were not rejecting me, but my application. This understanding thatrejection of my scholarship applications was not a personal event enabled me tocontinue to apply to other scholarships without losing faith that eventually Iwould be successful. And, eventually, I was.

　　In conclusion, I prefer taking risks because doing soallows me to gain knowledge through comparison, forces me to grow, and hastaught me to be diligent even if I fail at first. Taking risks is part ofliving. Without risks we would not be living.