10A1 申若澄

FRQ1

In a modern world, society is developing in a rapid pace: skyscrapers

and build halls appear from flat ground; factories soaring for economic
growth; and an increase of world population led to many stores and
houses been built. During this process however, we are also witnessing a
rapid decline in environment in the last century that has never seen before
in human history. As such, people come up with the idea of rewilding: to
slow down urban developments and to provide more attention and
resources to reshaping and revitalizing the environment primarily in urban
communities. Although there are some challenges, rewilding initiatives are
significantly worthwhile for urban communities in ways such as saving the
environment from torpor status, providing and developing a safety public
health, and to create a better life for our future generations.

Rewilding is important as it invigorates the environment not only for

better observation, but it also rejuvenates the animal population.
Rewilding is not that difficult to create as there are many methods to
preserve it. For example, structures are being built in forms of hybrid
natural such as “living walls, rooftop farms, vertical or sky gardens and
breathing buildings” (Source F). Cities like New York are also implementing
“Green corridors” to “create space for biodiversity”. With these methods,
metropolis can also considerate to rewilding as the examples provided has
explicitly showed that it is possible to add green space in urban tiles for
benefits outweighs the losses. Additionally, in source A, with rewilding, we
can prevent more than 70% of animals from extinctions if we would use
only 30% of the priority areas to restore wilderness. It is important to note
that we can help 70% of animals from extinction, which to consider, is a
substantial number of animals we can save by just only using less than
half of the priority areas. These simple data explicitly show us that
rewilding has such a huge impact for us, and it also reveals that even in
our daily life, if we were to pay just the smallest attention to the
environment and to pay just enough action, our doings today may have a
huge impact for ourselves as we can see many beautiful animals such as
birds and mammals that we may not be even encountered if they
extincted.

Additionally, by rewilding the urban environment, us humans may also

benefitted from our own actions mentally and spiritually. We are now
facing in a world where we may even inhale toxic air, as more than 80% of
the world are now living in a worsening air quality (source A). With simple
data we can acknowledge the impact rewilding has. In the graph of source
E, we can see that with an increasing neighborhood forest cover,
eventually people will be “50% less depression, 43% less stress and 56%
less anxiety” (source E). We may sometimes feel anxious and this could
lead to disastrous events. With just some simple forest cover, many
negative feelings can be overcome and we may prevent many traffic
accidents and unnecessary argument with your dearest, undeniable, this
will let you have a safer life experience and a better relationship with your
loved ones.

Rewilding not only has impact for us, it also has impact for our future
generations, as our actions now may decide what kind of environment our
kids live in. In source C, Dr. Sampson provides us a thinking experience of
our childhood. “’If people do not spend any time outside, why are they
going to care about their local place let alone the national parks in the
distance’” (source C). He used the future perspective to alarm us the harm
of not doing anything. “’We are at a juncture where the decisions we […]
will determine the course of this planet for thousands of years to come.’”
(source C). Who would ever think that a small decision we do now may
impact the next centuries? If we were to have a complete and wonderful
experience in childhood, why shouldn’t us try our best to make our next
generation to live in a same happy childhood that they will also love?
Maybe kids in the future living in skyscrapers would not see any greens if
we were not to do anything.

In conclusion, rewilding actions are necessary for urban cities and

communities with benefits such as saving the environment, ensuring our
own health, and provide a better place for our kids and younger
generations. It is not hard for us to make rewilding actions, but our doings
now may be like a seed planted, for the future it would bring shade and
shelter to generations after generations.

FRQ2

As many would say, the present is for us, but the present and the
future is for the young. They are a country’s dawn, a beacon of free,
liberty, and a bright shining star for the future of a country’s development.
But the younger generations cannot be without the present people, as we
must be fully aware that they do not have the capability to self-
governance. As such, it is the present mankind’s job to guide and lead the
new generation to their prosperity and to teach them their challenges and
how to overcome it. In this passage. Michelle Obama, the former First Lady
of the United States, conveys her message for the younger generations by
using tone shift, Pathos and Ethos, and syntax to express her thoughts for
the young with a more detailed and complex structure to let the audience
better understand.

Michelle Obama employs tone shift though out her passage to lead her
audience and eventually express her opinion in a clear way and method.
At first, she would use a softer tone “I want you to remember that in this
country […] we started out with very little.” (line 12) Although she is the
First Lady, she puts herself with the common man and their situation to
show that we are all Americans and we all face the same thing. The
method of her putting herself in a more approachable way is significant to
express her ideas as she reduces the tension between her and her
audience, making her words more realistic and more appropriate for the
common audiences. In the middle and towards the end part, there is a
sharp turn to “But I also want to be very clear. This right isn’t just handed
to you.” (line 35). She would remind her audience that your future is
although bright, there are still challenges in front of you that your need to
face. This would give the audience a brief overview of their future live and
to also be cautious of their future doings. But all in all, the whole passage,
Michelle Obama maintains an encouraging tone for the audience. She
knew the opportunities and the challenges faced in front of them, but she
would still try her best to encourage her audience that they are our
country’s hope and she will guide them to the correct path.

Additionally, Michelle Obama uses Pathos and Ethos to enhance the

overall feelings and to persuade her audience with feelings and with
attested facts. She uses Pathos when she is talking about religion. She
listed some religion such as “Muslim, Christan, Jewish, Hindu […]” (line 22)
to show to her audience that she pays attention to them and she
important them. The way she listed religion gives a feeling that no one is
left behind and we are all equally wonderful despite our differences. This
way of gathering the audience to a more cohesive feeling of unity is
important as it lowers the tension between themselves. Also, the way of
using Ethos such as by reinstating her position as the “First Lady” (line 3)
and the using of examples such as “Kyra” (line 73) and “Terri” (line 75)
provides vivid evidence which make her passage and the way of
conveying her ideas more authentic and trustable.

And finally, the usage of syntax in the passage makes the structure of
her speech more complex and detailed. In paragraph 3, she uses periodic
sentences which is to express her opinion in the ending part “Do not let
anyone make you feel like you don’t matter […] you have the right to be
exactly who you are” (line 30). This would eventually lead her audience to
her opinion and to put it at the end would let her audience remember it
more clearly. Addition, she also used cumulative sentences starting in the
4th paragraph “But I also want to be very clear. This right isn’t just handed
to you” (line 35). She would but a different opinion with her previous
sayings that they should be who they are. She would derive and evolve
from this opinion to state that children should not lost their focus as they
are still facing many challenges. This kind of use in a passage enhance her
skill of preserving an idea to her audience.

In conclusion, Michelle Obama uses shift of tone, Pathos and Ethos,

and the employment of syntax structure in her passage to convey her idea
more comprehensively and clearly. With these rhetorical choices, she
vividly expresses her idea and hopes for the younger generations and
encourages them to overcome the difficulties and to make a better future
for America.

FRQ3

In our everyday conservation, we present to each other ideas and

expressions that may interact with their voices. However, when we meet
difficulties and encountered problems, single voice is not enough to
express a strong opinion to the public. As quoted by Maxine Hong
Kingston: “If we can make a community of voices, then we can speak more
truth.” Our expression will be stronger if we all speak up, the ideas we
present will be more comprehensive and it will present us unity. Creating a
community of voices is valid in my opinion.

Over the course of history, we may see examples of a community

voice. For example, the Russian Revolution. During the Tsarist regime,
Aristocrats were enjoying their finest time with wealth, parties, and upper-
class leisure activities. However, in the other hand, millions of poor
farmers were starving because they cannot pay their taxes to the overlord,
and thousands of workers in cities such as Moscow and Saint Petersburg
are living in poor condition in factories, while they still need to work hard
to even earn their basic living money. Many people tried to protest, but the
local government cared not to some single peasants and worker. It was
also this time where Lenin used communism and the word “Bolshevism”
(which means the majority) to unite people from all across Russia to stand
up together and to oppose the Russian Throne. Their collectivist idea and
actions can see rewards as the October Revolution present them with the
overthrown of the Tsar and a creation of a socialist country that focus on
the live of the basic’s farmers and workers. This juxtaposition of the
inability of a single protest and the ability of quick and effective actions to
overthrown the government provided a clear example that with the voices
united, can people do more and have a better style of living. It is also
important to see that with a large community voice, within months can
they do what single voices cannot do for over some centuries. This clearly
shows the importance of the community of voices, as they let people to be
in a better place.

A similar pattern can also be seen in America. During the Second

Industrial Revolution, with the expansion of economic development, many
problems reveal themselves during the so called “gilded age”: Poverty,
alcoholism, and the destructive of environment. Small protests such as the
Pullman Strike tried to reform their society but they failed as the
government intervened on the company side and dismantled the strike. As
such, people from across the country organized party to solve this
problem, most notably the Progressive Party and the All-color
Advancement Association Party. They would stand together to make voices
and eventually prohibition, women rights act of the 19 th Amendment and
civil rights act granted them their rights. And also with clear air Act, their
action would also not only make themselves better, but also with a
community voice, they can positively affect other people to be in a better
place and to live a better live. Their doings will also affect the younger
generation as they would benefit from their previous doings.

In conclusion, a community voice is important as it improve our lives

and it also give a better place for other and next generations. So, for us it
is also the same. We would need to be in a unity, so gather your friends
and people who share the same opinion, and let us make a change!