SAT Perfect Score Example Essay

Note: This essay was graded by a writing professor at UCI who works at Elite Educational Institute.

Here is the link to the prompt: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sat-practice-test-1-essay.pdf

In the foreword of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, former president Jimmy Carter argues that the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should not be developed for industry, but rather preserved as a gift to be passed onto future generations. Carter persuades the audience of this standpoint by utilizing a pair of persuasive elements: rich imagery and appeals to authority. Ultimately, these two strategies enable Carter to build an argument that appeals to emotion and further strengthens his credibility as an author.

To begin with, Carter uses rich imagery to depict an idyllic picture of his experiences at the Arctic refuge, expressing, “we witnessed the migration of … thousands of caribou with their newborn calves...the sweep of tundra became filled with life.” Carter’s use of rich imagery appeals to the emotions of his audience; by painting a vast, profound picture of the caribou with their newborn calves, Carter appeals to the biological instinct for maternal care present in all mammals, including humans. Furthermore, the imagery of the tundra “flooded with life” appeals to the human idealization of birth and joy, as it is the audience’s instinct to feel the preciousness and joyful vitality of the newborn offspring. In this manner, Carter places the caribou on the same level as the audience -- both are mammals who understand the instinct to care and protect precious life. Thus, Carter is able to allude that damaging the Arctic Refuge and killing the caribou would be analogous to killing human mothers and their children, manipulating the role of caribou in order to appeal to the audience’s instincts and emotions.

Carter further uses rich imagery to paint a stark contrast between the precious and joyful tundra of life and the “web of roads and pipelines, drilling rigs and industrial facilities” that “would forever destroy the wilderness character of America’s only Arctic Refuge”. By activating the biological maternal instinct just sentences before, and then drawing a picture of an emotionless, stygian environment, Carter draws an overt dichotomy between the two scenarios, painting the former in a much more positive light. Carter, by comparing the roads and pipelines as a web, exploits the negative stereotype of spiders in popular culture (such as the popular adage, a “web of lies”), evoking a clear disfavor for industrialization, which is painted to have a more sinister, ulterior motive in accordance to modern society. As a result, Carter reinforces the audience’s emotional connection and investment with the caribou and ultimately the Arctic Refuge, achieved through rich imagery and appeals to emotion.

Additionally, Carter utilizes appeal to authority to further strengthen the persuasiveness of his argument. Carter states, “wildlife values have long been recognized by both Republican and Democratic presidents...Eisenhower and I signed the Alaskan National Interest Lands Conservation Act.” Carter implies that nature is able to transcend political parties and strife, and has the capability to even unite America, as he cites that both Eisenhower and he support the preservation of the Arctic Refuge. Carter’s mentioning of Eisenhower and he both taking part in the Arctic Refuge ultimately strengthens the author’s credibility, as Carter establishes himself as a president of the United States, someone with great authority and influence over a large population. Thus, Carter suggests that his opinion must hold truth, given his credibility, ultimately strengthening his argument.

In conclusion, through the use of rich imagery and appeal to authority, Jimmy Carter is able to craft a powerful argument regarding the value in preserving Arctic wildlife, accomplished through appeals to emotion and human biological instincts, painting a stark contrast, and establishing credibility.