抱最好的希望，做最坏的打算
Directions: For this part, you are allowed 30 minutes to write a short essay commenting on the remark, “Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst” . You can give examples to illustrate your point. You should write at least 150 words but no more than 200 words.
审题立意
1. 导语解读：要求考生根据“抱最好的希望，做最坏的打算”这一话题进行简述并进一步解释原因。
2. 文章立意：“抱最好的希望，做最坏的打算”指出了辩证对待生活的方式：人们既要对生活充满希望，又要做好充分的准备迎接失败，克服困难。
写作思路
1. 第一段就题目中的谚语“抱最好的希望，做最坏的打算”简要加以解释，指出生活虽然美好，但充满困难，人人都要面临这一点。
2. 第二段论证希望的重要性：希望是人生道路上的明灯，是取得成功的关键。
3. 第三段从逆境和困难出发，阐述要保持清醒的头脑，做好克服困难的准备，在真的面对失败时走出逆境和失败。
参考范文
The proverb—“Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst”—means that life is full of beauty as well as hardship. 1 That’s true for everyone’s life.
For one thing 2 , as one of the most inspiring spiritual forces in the world, hope is like a beam of bright light shining through one’s life. Consequently, hope for the best before setting our goals. With hope, we’ll overcome any difficulty with an optimistic attitude, meet any challenge with full energy, and compete with any rival with enthusiasm. Hope equips us with confidence, which is the key to success. With hope, we will be highly motivated to achieve higher goals.
For the other 3 , nobody can always have a plain sailing the whole life. There do exist many undesirable situations where we have to face setbacks and even suffer failures. “Prepare for the worst” can remind us to be practical and clear-minded instead of being blindly confident. How to prepare for the worst? We should make sufficient preparations for the possible worst scenario. Preparing for the worst helps us relieve the pressure and obtain more hopes to succeed, which enables us to laugh at the setbacks and rise above adversity and failure.
谚语“抱最好的希望，做最坏的打算”的意思是生活虽然美好但同时也充满磨难。这句话对人人都适用。
首先，希望是世间最鼓舞人心的精神力量之一，就好像一束照亮人生旅途的明光。因此，在确立目标前，先抱有最好的希望。当我们有了希望，我们将以乐观的态度克服任何困难，以饱满的精力应对各种挑战，情绪饱满地同对手竞争。希望使我们充满自信，而自信就是开启成功大门的钥匙。有了希望，我们就会有极大的动力去完成更高的目标。
其次，没有人可以一辈子一直一帆风顺。的确有许多糟糕的情况使我们不得不面对挫折，甚至遭受失败。“做最坏的打算”可以提醒我们从实际出发并保持清醒的头脑，而不是盲目自信。如何做最坏的打算呢？就是对可能发生的最坏的情况做足准备。做最坏的打算有助于我们释放压力，并在成功的道路上获得更多的希望，从而使我们可以笑对挫折，克服逆境和失败。
范文点评
1. 开篇简要解释谚语的寓意：生活虽然美好，却也充满磨难。
2. 第二段先从一方面论述希望的重要性。
3. 第三段从另一方面论述要为生活中发生失败做好准备。
要点用法
for one thing 一方面
inspiring adj. 鼓舞人心的
consequently adv. 因此；所以
set one’s goals 确立目标
optimistic adj. 乐观的
compete with sb. 与某人竞争
rival n. 对手；竞争者
enthusiasm n. 热心；热情
equip … with… 用……武装……
motivate v. 激发，激起
a plain sailing 一帆风顺
setback n. 挫折
relieve v. 解除；减轻
句法点评
1. For one thing, as one of the most inspiring spiritual forces in the world, hope is like a beam of bright light shining through one’s life.
本句采用比喻修辞手法，把希望比作明光，更加形象地突出了希望的作用。
2. With hope, we’ll overcome any difficulty with an optimistic attitude, meet any challenge with full energy, and compete with any rival with enthusiasm.
本句采用三个并列的谓语，强调了希望的作用。
3. There do exist many undesirable situations where we have to face setbacks and even suffer failures.
本句中do表示强调；句中使用了where引导的限制性定语从句，使句式更加多样化。
