Narrative Writing

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Movies and books often talk about the importance of loyalty and friendship. Tell about a time in your life when friendship

proved to be of great importance to you.

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It is often said that animals are humans' best friends. Describe a time in your life when this saying proved to be true.

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Martin Luther King, Jr., said that he wished for the day when his children "would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." Write about a time in your life when the content of your character was tested.

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People often say "Don't judge a book by its cover." Describe a time when you misjudged someone based on his or her

appearance or when someone misjudged you.

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The way a person handles disappointment reveals a great deal about what is important to him or her. Tell about a time in your life when you confronted disappointment and how you handled it.

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As adolescents, many of us promise ourselves that we'll never be like our parents. But as we mature, we often find that we

think and act a lot like our parents do. Describe a time when you realized you were behaving like your mother or father (or

other guardian) and how that experience helped you better understand your parent.

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When we reflect upon our childhood, we often come back to a few key events that had a major impact on us. Tell about one of those defining events from your childhood.

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Sometimes lies can have serious consequences. Describe a time when a lie had major consequences for you.

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There is a saying that you should be careful what you wish for, because you just might get it. Describe a time when you

wished for something and got it-and then wished you hadn't.

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Major life events like a new job, a new home, the birth of a sibling, or the death of someone we love can have a profound

impact on us. Describe a major event in your life and what it taught you about yourself or others.

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People often say, "What you don't know won't hurt you," but the opposite often turns out to be true. Tell about a time when you were hurt by something you didn't know.

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Parents are our first and most important teachers. Describe a time when you learned a valuable lesson from one of your

parents.

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Most of us have to make many difficult choices throughout our lives. Describe a time when you had to make a tough decision.

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It has often been said that "Life is a journey, not a destination." Tell about an important journey (physical, emotional, or

spiritual) that you've taken.

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How people handle a problem often reveals a lot about their character. Describe a time you encountered a difficult problem

and how you solved it.

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It has been said that the truth is often stranger than fiction. Describe an experience you had that was so strange others might think you made it up.

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It is often said that you should never judge another person until you walk in his or her shoes. Tell about an experience that

enabled you to better understand another person.

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We all have things that we are afraid of, and sometimes we find ourselves in situations that force us to face our deepest fears. Tell about a time when you had to face one of your greatest fears.

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Sometimes we surprise ourselves with what we are able to do. Describe a time when you accomplished something you didn't think you could do.

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When we are faced with challenges and difficult situations, we sometimes discover strengths we did not know we had. Tell

about a time when you recognized a new strength in yourself.

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Sometimes change can be intimidating-especially technological change. Describe a time when you had difficulty with a new technology.

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No matter how well we prepare, sometimes, unexpected things may happen. Other times, we may simply be unable to

prepare. Tell about a time when you were unprepared for a situation.

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Our first foray into the world of work is bound to generate some interesting experiences. Tell about a memorable incident from your first job.

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We often put people we admire so high on a pedestal that we forget they're human. Describe a time when you realized that

someone you admired was imperfect.

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Though some say, "rules are meant to be broken," breaking the rules often has serious consequences. Tell about a time when you broke the rules and what happened as a result.

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In many situations, as the saying goes, "two heads are better than one." Describe a time when you accomplished something

through teamwork that you could not have achieved on your own.

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People often say, "It's better to be safe than sorry." Tell about an experience that proves this saying to be true.

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Sometimes the course of our lives can change in an instant. Describe an experience that changed the direction of your life.

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Tell about a time when you found something important that you thought you had lost.

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Once words are uttered, it's impossible to take them back. Describe a time when you said something you wish you had not.

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First impressions are often very important. Describe a time you got (or gave) the wrong first impression.

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In one of his most famous lines, Shakespeare's Hamlet says, "I must be cruel, only to be kind." Describe a time when you, too, had to be cruel to be kind.

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We are often surprised, even awed, by the experiences of our ancestors. Describe a time when you learned something important about your family history.

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Holidays are meant to be special occasions, and they are often very emotional. Describe an event from a particularly

memorable holiday.

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For many of us, sports are a big part of our lives, whether we are spectators or participants. Describe a memorable sporting

event.

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It is often said that "The greatest risk is not taking one." Tell about a time when you took a chance.

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For many of us, our roles-as parents or children, supervisors or subordinates, teachers or students-are very clearly defined. But sometimes the tables turn, and we end up switching roles with another. Tell about a time when you experienced a role reversal.

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Many things can interfere with our plans. Sometimes an illness prevents us from doing something we really want to do. Describe a time when you became ill and missed out on doing something you'd really been looking forward to.

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One of Robert Frost's most famous poems tells about a man who takes the road less traveled. Tell about a time when you also chose the less-traveled path.

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We often learn valuable lessons in the workplace. Describe an experience at work that taught you something important.

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It has been said that we can lie with silence as well as with words. Tell about a time when you "told" a lie by keeping silent about something important.

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Sometimes a simple misunderstanding can lead to a major conflict. Describe a time when this happened to you.

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Many of our fondest memories are associated with food. Describe a memorable experience that took place while preparing or eating food.

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As children, our strongest bonds are usually with our parents and then with our siblings. Tell about a memorable experience with one of your siblings or a close relative.

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Superheroes, like Spiderman, don't use weapons to subdue their foes. Rather, they rely upon a few special tools and their own ingenuity. Describe a time when your quick thinking saved the day.

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We often have memorable experiences when we are learning a new skill or task. Describe an experience you had while learning something new.

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There is a saying that states, "You can never go home again." Describe a time when you returned to a place from your past and how you and the place had changed.

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Try as we might to avoid them, accidents happen. Tell about a time when you were involved in an accident.

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Describe an experience you had that would be considered a near miss or a brush with disaster.

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We learn many lessons from many different sources throughout our lives. Tell about a time you learned something that you

can't learn from any book.

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Some of our most difficult experiences are when we find ourselves stuck in a moral dilemma. Describe a time when this happened to you.

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We are tested in many ways throughout our lives. Tell about a time when you were tested.

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Describe a time when you enjoyed something you thought you would not like.

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Television shows often depict family conflicts. Describe a time when you had a conflict with a family member.

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We all need help from others from time to time. Tell about a time you helped someone in need.

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Describe an experience that shows the accuracy of the following quotation: "Your luck is how you treat people."

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Write about a time when you found something of significant emotional or monetary value.

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Every culture has its own rites of passage. Describe your experience with a rite of passage in your culture.

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As much as we may love our friends, we sometimes find ourselves very angry with them. Tell about a time when you had a conflict with a close friend.

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Some people prefer to play it safe; others are always ready to take chances. Describe a time when you decided to take a chance.

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If you have ever been treated unfairly, you may have been told, "Who ever said life has to be fair?" Describe a time you were

treated unfairly and how you handled the situation.

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Have you ever befriended someone simply because he or she looked like he needed a friend? Describe your experience.

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When parents set limits and discipline their children, they often say, "Someday, you'll understand why I'm doing this." Tell

about a time when you realized that your parents were doing what they thought was best, even though it made you very angry at the time.

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If you could be invisible for one day, what would you do? Write a story detailing the events of this imaginary day.

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P.W. Litchfield, founder of Goodyear Tire & Rubber, wrote, "One realizes the full importance of time only when there is little of

it left." Describe an experience in your life that proved this statement to be true.

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Many stories, like Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat," talk about the indifference of nature to human needs and desires. Talk about a time in your life when you experienced nature's indifference to your needs.

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Alexander Maclaren, a Baptist minister, said, "The man who has not learned to say no will be a weak, if not a wretched man, as long as he lives." Describe an experience when you should have said no, but did not.

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Our dreams often reflect our subconscious fears and desires. Tell about a time you had a very troubling or enlightening

dream.

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Certain key experiences help us mature from children into young adults. Describe one of those key experiences in your life.

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Few things give us as much pleasure as creating something beautiful. Tell about a time when you created something.

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Many conversations begin with the introduction, "You'll never guess who I bumped into today . . ." Chance meetings can make for very interesting experiences. Describe a time when you bumped into someone, and it led to a memorable conversation or

event.

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Music can often trigger powerful memories. Describe a memorable experience associated with a particular song or piece of music.