Opportunity

Opportunity

     Many successful people say that the opportunities await those who are prepared. Some students who were born after the 1990s didn’t know the importance of learning when their parents educated them to study hard. In Chinese history, President Mao who created a new China launched the Cultural Revolution for ten years because he thought knowledge was a part of capitalists and it would have a certain impact on the rule of China. However, the development of China wasn't increased because of no technology. After that, because Deng Xiaoping realized the importance of the knowledge for the nation and technology, he resumed the college entrance examination in order to improve people’s knowledge level. Although the first Resumption of College Entrance Examination in 1977 was little known in the world, it attracted parents who lived hard in China at that time because it was a way to get out of poverty at that time. My father also chose to prepare for the first College Entrance Examination. In the history of my family, it allowed my father to win an opportunity to change our lives in terms of knowledge, job, and life.

     In the beginning, the Resumption of College Entrance Examination enabled my father to improve his knowledge. During the Chinese Cultural Revolution, my father loved studying although he only had a little knowledge as a young farmer. Before the last month of College Entrance Examination in 1977, when he knew he would have an opportunity to join the exam, my father borrowed old books from his brothers. It was an exaggerated thing I also heard that my father even crossed on the alleys and streets to beg his relatives to borrow books. He read day and night. At that time, my grandmother worried about his safety and thought studying was so expensive and useless due to the poor life and old feudal thoughts. However, my grandfather said directly and strictly to my father, “ In any case, you must succeed in the college entrance examination.” Then, my father became a student at the medical university and received professional and systematic knowledge. As a result, the Resumption of College Entrance Examination was a way to make my family increase the level of the knowledge.

     In addition, a successful college entrance exam was an opportunity which was the first step to gain a perfect job and earn more money. In order to develop the New China, knowledge and technical talents were encouraged at that time. It was easier for people to get a good job if they mastered important knowledge. Due to the higher mortality rate, the doctor was a hot occupation when my father took the college entrance exam. It prompted him to choose a medical major. After my father graduated from college, he worked for nearly forty years in a famous local hospital as a pharmacist with the knowledge that he learned. Moreover, it was easy to earn more money if we had a perfect job. For instance, my father only could have plowed the field or farm to earn less money if he didn’t join or pass the college entrance exam. In fact, as a pharmacist, he could earn the salary more five times than a farmer at that time. Thus, successful college entrance exam was a chance to get a successful work and have a higher wage.

Finally, a successful college entrance exam meant my whole family could move to a large city and enjoy a better life. The large cities with high standards of living had a unique attraction in modern China. Because my father passed the exam, I had a chance to live in a large city and expanded my own circle of communication. For example, I even studied in the greatest school and made more friends who had some power in their family. They were beneficial for me to live in a city. If I had some problems that I could not solve, it was easier to get help from them. What’s more, I didn’t come to Chicago without the efforts of my father. Anyway, because my father passed the first college entrance exam, my family had the possibility and chance to make me better.

In a word, the effective event of changing my family was the Resumption of College Entrance Examination and that my father passed successfully. The historic event in my father and family makes me have more motivation to learn and face to every day that full of hope when I feel tired. My father is a good model for me. I have respected my father since I was a child. I am proud of him due to his contribution to my family. My father’s experience and influence of passing the College Entrance Examination continues to inspire me and make me more successful.