II. Writing: (提纲式议论作文)   

Directions: In this part, you are to write an essay of 160 -- 200 words within 30--35 minutes entitled“Importance of Confidence”. Your essay should be based on the information given in the outline below:

1.Importance of confidence

2.Reasons for lack of confidence

3.Necessity to build up confidence

信心的重要性

    一个人不管做什么事, 他应该充满信心地去做。如果他没有信心, 当他面临困难时，他取得成功的可能性就很小。这个道理似乎明白无误。 然而, 在现实中我们确实看到许多人总是抱怨说, 他们缺乏办事的能力, 或者说, 形势对他们来说太严峻因此无法对付。对于有些人来说, 这可能是对的。但是对许多其他人来说, 这只能表明他们已经失去信心。

    为什么有些人即使能够办得到的事也常常感到灰心呢? 我认为有两点原因。首先, 这些人对自己没有一个正确的估计。例如，面对研究生入学考试，有些人往往丧失信心并退却了。其次, 还有一种可能, 就是他们往往夸大他们所遇到的困难。他们似乎觉得这些困难大得克服不了。他们看不到，只要他们刻苦努力，所有的障碍都是能够突破的。

    依我看, 一个人只要对自己的能力有正确的态度, 就有可能建立对自己的信心。 我们既不应过高估计我们的能力, 也不应该过低估计我们的能力。常言道: "有志者事竟成"。只要有信心, 我们一定能完成任何面临的任务。

The Importance of Confidence

    Whatever one does, he should do it with confidence. Without confidence, it is almost impossible for him to achieve anything, when he is faced with difficulties. In reality, however, we do see a lot of people who always complain that they are lacking in (=lack) the ability to do something or that the situation is too critical for them to deal with. For some, this might be true. But for many others, this only shows that they have lost confidence.

    Why do some people often feel frustrated even though they are capable of doing something? I think there are two main reasons. In the first place, they don’t have a correct estimate of themselves. For example, in the face of the postgraduate entrance examination, some of us tend to lose heart and give in. Secondly, there is another possibility that they often exaggerate the difficulties they meet with. It seems to them that the hardships are too great to get over. They can’t see that all the barriers can be broken through only if they make painstaking efforts.

    In my opinion, one should build up faith in oneself as long as he has a right attitude towards his own abilities. We should neither underestimate nor overestimate our abilities. As a proverb says, “Where there is a will, there is a way.” With confidence we can certainly cope with any task we are confronted with.  (237 words)

    背记重点词语汉英对照：1.困难：difficulty, hardship, barrier。  2.面临：be faced with, be confronted with。3.克服(困难)：overcome, get over, break through (difficulties)。4.我认为，我觉得：I think … , It seems to me that …。5.对…丧失信心：lose confidence in …。获得对…信心：gain confidence in …。缺乏对…信心：lack confidence in …。树立对…信心：create (=establish) confidence in …。增强某人做…的信心和决心：strengthen one’s confidence and determination to do sth.。6.顺利解决：deal with … successfully, cope with…。 7.有了…就能…：with …, … can …。 8. 夸大：exaggerate, overestimate。 9.可以毫不夸张地说…：It is no exaggeration to say that …。