Задание №23211 ЕГЭ по Английскому языку

When I grow up

During my time in preschool, the question arose, "What do you aspire to be when you grow up?" Vibrant crayons danced across sheets of paper, depicting our desired professions and cherished vocations. These artistic expressions adorned the school hallway, awaiting the proud gaze of our parents on Back to School Night. I recall scanning the array of drawings, witnessing images of graceful ballerinas twirling, valiant firefighters extinguishing blazes, and intrepid astronauts bounding across the moon — admirable career choices that were seen as typical aspirations for five-year-old children.

My artwork portrayed a stick figure with disheveled brown hair clutching a carton of orange juice above a rectangular shape intended to resemble a counter. Beneath it, my barely decipherable handwriting read, "When I mature, I want to work at the Market Basket because it would be enjoyable to slide orange juice over the scanner and interact with customers." To this day, my parents never let me live down the fact that, out of all the possibilities, my five-year-old self yearned to work at the local grocery store.

As youngsters, inquiries about our future aspirations are commonplace. However, we are not expected to provide answers that are likely to come to fruition. Yet, as teenagers, we are confronted with the same question twice as often. The difference is that now we are anticipated to respond with unwavering confidence.

Teenagers are presumed to possess a precise understanding of what they want to become and how they will attain their goals. Not all of us can be so certain at this stage. Even though I am in high school, I cannot offer a convincing response. Yet, I don’t consider that a bad thing. How am I expected to foresee what I will desire to dedicate my time to when I am thirty or forty years old?

When envisioning the future, I certainly do not envision myself stationed behind the Market Basket counter. However, in truth, if that were to bring me happiness, I would embrace it. Therefore, the next time someone inquires about my aspirations upon maturing, I will simply proclaim, "I aspire to be content." It is hope that propels us in this direction.

"Hope is not a mere grain of sand," echoes Gambian poet Lenrie Peters, and even in its minuscule form, it possesses the strength to preserve youth's vitality and sanity amidst the most arduous circumstances. It is hope that motivates the young to take action. It is hope that enables the young to persevere, regardless of the hardships they encounter. Nelson Mandela, in his youth, clung to hope against all odds for the emancipation of his people, and he lived to witness the fulfillment of his hopes. Robinson Crusoe, stranded on an uninhabited island, clung to hope against all hope for survival, which propelled him to start anew and construct a compound and extensive farm single-handedly.

In a distant realm known as "Another Country: the Land of Literature," Sister Eileen Sweeney eloquently conveys that hope serves as the anchor that steadfastly holds together the vessel known as youth, regardless of the tempestuous seas of passion, pain, distress, or tribulation that assail it.

Happiness represents a destination for everyone. We may choose diverse paths in life, narrow or wide, winding or straight, but our shared desire is to find happiness wherever we ultimately arrive. Select your path, but do not fret excessively about choosing wisely. Embrace a few mistakes, venture into uncharted territories. Always remember, if you are not happy, you have not yet reached the culmination of your journey.