I must have raised a few eyebrows back in sixth grade when I chose Peter Jennings as my subject for a portrait. A few of my elementary school classmates certainly found it strange that my favorite television program was “20/20.” Ever since I was a young child, I have had a passion for current events and world politics. As a college undergraduate, I chose to major in political science. While at school, I also discovered a powerful love of foreign languages and cultures. The desire to incorporate all of my academic interests has convinced me to pursue a graduate degree in international relations.

My undergraduate education included a semester working as an intern at the French Embassy in Washington, D.C. At first, the experience was nerve-racking. Everybody spoke very quickly, and I began to doubt my French skills. I was constantly wondering whether I had heard somebody correctly or said what I had meant to. Worst of all, it seemed that all of the other interns spoke in perfect, fluent French. I remember leaving at the end of my first day, relieved that I had survived and unsure about what I had gotten myself into. Despite a few difficult days at the outset, however, I now consider my internship to be one of my most valuable educational experiences.

When I first started my internship, I was not sure exactly why I had taken the job. Certainly, it would look nice on a resume and make a good reference, but I didn’t think that I would ever need to know that much about France. Yet although I did learn a great deal about the role of the diplomatic community and the national interests of France, I learned even more about myself. The experience gave me a solid link between my academic interests and my professional future. I managed to set long-term goals for the internship and succeeded in achieving them.

Within the first week, I knew that I wanted to do more than just answer the telephones and reply to mail -- the usual duties of an intern. Gradually I began to take on more responsibilities, and I eventually became a regular contributor to News from France, the embassy’s newsletter. Also, I worked with the director of the press and the communication office on special projects. Through these experiences I learned much about the professionalism and dedication it takes to work in a place where everyone has different views and opinions but all work towards a common goal. At the end of my internship, I had a better understanding of the opportunities available to me and a greater enthusiasm for a career in international relations.

The time that I spent at the French embassy shaped my academic and professional goals. I now believe that a career in international relations will place me in a field that is both challenging and exciting. There are no easy answers to many of the problems that arise between nations, but it will be fulfilling to work towards new solutions. Combined with my interests and experiences, I believe that a graduate degree in international relations will prepare me extremely well to pursue my professional goals. I hope to achieve a better understanding of the problems facing the United States and of potential foreign policy solutions. Studying these issues further will be a significant step in the journey that I began when I first flipped on the news as a child.

點評：

文章大綱

本文從結果上來看分為三大部分，第一部分表明自己的意圖，介紹了自己興趣的由來。第二部分（包括第2, 3, 4 段）開始寫實，介紹自己在法國大使館實習階段的經歷，體現了自己的法語由生疏到熟練、由不自信到自信的過程。接著委婉的點出學習了大量的關于外交團體和法國國家利益的方面的知識，并且通過這段實習經歷建立了長期的目標。然后是細節描寫，主要描寫作者在實習過程中的進步，進一步促進了自己的職業目標。第三部分表明了自己的立場和決心，以及選擇這個項目將給自己帶來的幫助。

主題內容

從內容上來看，第一部分以作者小的時候的實際經歷開頭，敘述自己從小就對國際時事和政治比較感興趣，因此大學階段就主修政治學，而且現在準備申請研究生學位。第二大部分主要寫自己在法國大使館的實習經歷，先描寫了自己法語的進步，接著闡述學習了大量的關于外交團體和法國國家利益的任務，更加清醒地認識了自己，了解了自己的興趣。然后寫自己在業務上逐漸熟練，開始承擔更多的職責，最終我成了一個合格的法國大使館時事通訊的新聞捐助者。而且，在特殊方案中我與印刷和通訊辦公室的主管合作。通過細節描寫襯托自己在實踐過程中鍛煉。第三部分主要寫通過這是在法國大使館的實習，進一步確定了自己的學習和職業目標。

素材取材

本文取材主要是自己的親身經歷，整篇文章基本上都是自己親身經歷的描寫，寫的細節非常全面。全文主要圍繞自己的實習經歷展開，這是貫穿全文的一條主線。

本文立意

本文開篇就以自己小時候的興趣為起點，接著由自己在國際關系這方面的興趣逐漸增強自然的引入正題，之后通過大量的寫實更深刻的展示了具體信息，重點突出了自己的經歷以及適合這個項目。

可以借鑒的地方

總體來看全文層次分明，邏輯合理，最成功的一點就是細節描寫，更加鮮明的證明了自己做過什么，能做什么，給人非常直接的感受。完全沒有一點“廢話”，全文語言簡練，但完美的展示出了自己的能力，這篇文書寫的非常成功。

譯文：

在六年級的時候，當我選擇Peter Jenning作肖像模特時，肯定令很多人大跌眼鏡。當我的小學同學發現我最喜歡的電視節目是“20/20”的時候，他們都感到驚訝不已。在我還是一個年輕的孩子的時候，我就已經對當前時事和世界政治非常的感興趣了。作為一名大學生，我選擇了主修政治學。在學習的過程中，我也發覺自己對國外的語言和文學產生了強烈的熱愛之情。這個愿望合并了我所有的學術興趣，我確信要繼續從事一個關于國際關系的研究生學位。

在我的大學本科教育階段，我在華盛頓D.C.的法國大使館做了一個學期的實習。首先，這次經歷是非常傷腦筋的。每個人都說得很快，我開始懷疑自己的法語技巧。我經常的疑惑我是否正確的聽到某人所說，是否回答適合的意思。最糟糕的是，似乎這些所有的實習者法語說的都非常的完美、熟練。我記得最后離開的周末，我已經放心了，沒有了過去對自己的不自信。包括少數困難時期的開端，我認為我的實習是最有價值的教育經歷。

當我最初開始我的實習的時候，我特別沒有把握可以獲得這個工作。當然，我擁有一篇好的簡歷和一封好的推薦信，但是我不認為關于法國我需要不斷地去了解很多。至今雖然我學習了大量的關于外交團體和法國國家利益的任務，但是我認識到了更多關于我自己。這個經歷給了我一個堅固的鏈接在我的學術興趣和職業前景之間。針對這次實習我計劃建立一個長期的目標并且成功的完成我的計劃。

在第一個星期，我認識到我想做的更多，不僅僅是回答電話和回復郵件--很平常的值班和實習。逐漸的我開始承擔更多的職責，最終我成了一個合格的法國大使館時事通訊的新聞捐助者。而且，在特殊方案中我與印刷和通訊辦公室的主管合作。通過這些經歷我學習到了很多特性和方法，開始工作在一個適當的位置每個人都有的意見和觀點但是都朝著一個公共的目標。在我實習的最后階段，我有了一個非常好的理解關于這次機會，越來越熱心于國際關系這個職業。

這次我在法國大使館的經歷定形了我的學院的和職業目標。我現在相信一個國際關系的職業將給予我一個領域既挑戰性又令人興奮。對于發生在民族間的問題沒有容易的，但是有助于朝著新的解決方案來完成工作。結合我的興趣和經驗，我相信一個國家關系的研究生學位將很好的為我職業目標做準備。面對美國潛在的外交政策解答我希望達到一個較好的理解。在我的歷程中學習這些更深一層的論點是非常有意義的一步。