Name: ____________________________________

Practice Essay #1
You have 25 minutes to write an essay on the topic assigned
below.
Think carefully about the issue presented in the following excerpt
and the assignment below.
Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent
will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with
talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a
proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated
derelicts. Persistence and determination are omnipotent. The
slogan Press on! has solved and will always solve the
problems of the human race. Calvin Coolidge,
Autobiography
Assignment: Do you agree that persistence is the major factor in
success and that talent, genius, and education play, at best,
secondary roles? Plan and write an essay in which you develop
your point of view on the issue. Support your position with
reasoning and examples taken from your reading, studies,
experiences, or observations.