My mouth refused to open. My legs quaked beneath me. My eyes darted around the audience. A sudden stillness enveloped me. Everything seemed peaceful, except for the uneven pounding in my chest, which pulsated in my ears. The pressure was unbearable. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply and tried to calm my escalating fear. Still, my lips would not budge. My face felt red-hot even as cold sweat soaked every inch of my body. I couldn't recite a single word of my three-word speech. I felt humiliated. My debut in the sixth-grade class production was a failure.

Growing up, I had endured a myriad of humiliations, but this one was different. This one happened in front of the entire school. I, like many other children, craved the spotlight yet also feared it. As I stood there, frozen into a block of ice, I felt defeated. Since speaking parts were mandatory, I had already received the most minuscule role in the entire play. My role was quite simple: fifteen seconds of silly jumping on stage and projection of three words out into the audience. Yet no matter how many times I practiced my simple line, I bombed when my moment of fame arrived. Each time, I turned into a lanky lighthouse, my red face beaming for all to see. My mouth refused to open and send forth those three words. My failure cost me dearly. My peers teased me without mercy for weeks. My shame left a powerful imprint in my mind.

When I entered ninth grade, I was determined to break out of my shell and challenge my fear of public speaking. With encouragement from friends and family, I enrolled in a debate class. On the first day of the course, I didn't know what to expect, but I quickly apprehended that class participation was mandatory. Throughout the first semester, my teacher slowly and patiently chipped away at my fear of speaking. I gradually discovered myself feeling comfortable speaking in front of the class. Soon I felt comfortable in front of any audience. I worked hard to overcome my fear, and when I did, my confidence soared. I also discovered that my fear had cloaked my genuine passion for debating and public speaking. I have developed my new passion through a variety of extracurricular activities throughout my time in high school.

Now, I face new challenges. I am fearful of the sea-change before me. While I have to come to terms with the idea of losing close friends and moving away from my hometown, I feel a twinge of apprehension. I know life in college will challenge me and cause me to reevaluate my beliefs and ambitions. Will I sink or will I swim?

Whenever I reflect on this question, I remember standing on my elementary school's stage, choking back hot tears, and trying to say my lines. Then, I picture myself now, speaking freely in front of peers and adults, delivering my opinions with gusto, free from fear and determined to have my voice heard.

I'm going to swim, no doubt about it.

點評：

這篇PS通過生動的描述自己小學時候懼怕公共演講，然后在中學通過加入辯論班，一步步克服心理對于演講的恐懼，從而得到自信心的增強。之后就是無論遇到什么問題都可以從容解決了。

成功之處就是在于運用生活中的真實經歷，描寫自己的心理和思想得到提升。從小事之中得到啟發是很有效的PS寫作技巧之一。

缺點就在于專業性不是很強，運用情景模式的寫作方法一定要有特色去禰補專業性的不足。

譯文：

公開演講

我緊閉著嘴唇，雙腿在顫抖，環視周圍的觀眾，突然發現自己被一片寂靜包圍著。除了自己的心跳聲，周圍的一切都是那么平靜。壓力使得我無法忍受。我閉上眼睛，試著用深呼吸來平息越來越強的恐懼感。然而，我還是張不開嘴唇。即使冷汗流遍全身我還是滿臉通紅。我背不出我那簡短演講中的一個詞。我感到無比羞愧。我在六年級的初次登場就以失敗告終。

在成長的過程中我經歷了無數次羞辱，但這次卻是不同的經歷。因為這次是站在全校師生面前。像其他許多小孩一樣，我渴望站在聚光燈下卻又懷著恐懼之情。當我站在那，緊張得像被冰凍了一樣的時候，我有一種被擊敗的感覺。因為演講是強制性的，我曾經演過在整個演出當中最為卑微的角色。我的角色很簡單：在舞臺上傻傻地跳15秒鐘，然后對著觀眾說3個字。但是不管我在準備的時候練過多少次這個簡單角色，我還是在真正的演出中失敗了。每一次當我面向聚光燈的時候，所有人都看得見我通紅的臉。我怎么也張不開嘴去說那三個字。我失敗的代價是昂貴的。我的同伴們毫不留情地譏笑了我好幾個星期。羞恥在我心中留下了深刻的印記。

當我進入九年級的時候，我決定突破自我的束縛去挑戰我對于公共演講的恐懼。在朋友和家人的鼓勵之下，我加入了辯論班。在第一天的課堂上，我不知道該怎么做。但是我很快就領悟到參與到課堂中去是必須的。在第一個學期里，我的老師慢慢的并且很有耐心的消除我對于演講的恐懼。我逐漸發現自己適應了在全班人面前講話。然后我發現自己敢于在任何聽眾面前講話了。我努力消除心中的恐懼，當我做到這樣的時候，我的自信心就增加了不少。我還發現我之前的恐懼遮掩了我天生對于辯論和公共演講的激情。在高中生涯里我通過多種課余活動培養了一種新的激情。

現在我面對著新的挑戰。我很懼怕突然間的變化。當我不得不面對離開家鄉失去密友的時候，我心如亂麻。我知道大學生活會很有挑戰性并會讓我重新評價自己的信念和雄心。我會沉沒還是暢游呢？

每當我想到這個問題，我都會記起小學的時候站在舞臺上，抑制著熱汗并試圖說出我的臺詞。然后我會想到現在的自己可以在同學和大人面前自然地演講，傳達我的想法，毫無恐懼地讓每一個聽眾聽到自己的聲音。

毫無疑問地，我將會暢游。