This is the second in our series of short story posts which could be part of a classroom assignment or a B2-level English exam (e.g. First for Schools or the former FCE exam, ESB or LRN) which requires candidates to write a narrative of approximately 200 words.  Remember to note the various elements a short story should have as you read it: dialogue, use of adjectives and adverbs to create atmosphere, use of the senses, organization of paragraphs, conflicts that heighten the action, narrator, and the like.  For further information, read my post Writing Stories: Where to Start . It should help you tackle a story from the ground up and make you aware of the different things that should be included so that the story is worth reading. The assignment or rubric is the following: 

Karl Shapiro's poem "Auto Wreck" was published in 194 2 in his book Person, Place, and Thing , a collection of 51 poems. December 7,1941 wa s a turning point in World War II when the Americans, devastated by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor , decided to actively engage Axis forces by deploying the military . A fter years of 'neutrality' (the US ha d already been helping the British by sending money, ammunition and food supplies since the spring of 1941 ) , action had been imposed on them, so to speak. It seemed his being drafted into the army and serving in the Pacific Theater brought about Shapiro's inspiration to write . Four book s of poems were published from his days in the army. Stationed in New Guinea, he wrote V-Letter and Other Poems which gave him the Pulitzer Prize in 1945.  "Auto Wreck" can be con strued as the direct result of what Shapiro experienced during the war. The hollow logic of war, the arbitrariness of human li...

To get the most out of these sample essays and letters, please read "What do I do with the sample writing found on this blog?" before reading this blog entry. The following letter is an example of how examination candidates could tackle the subject of drunk driving among teenagers. The sample has been modeled on the University of Michigan Examination for the Certificate of Competency in English (ECCE) Task 1 question of the Writing section available on page 62 of the Hellenic American Union's ECCE Practice Examinations book (Book 1).   The aim of the task is for candidates to write a letter to the editor of the The City Times to offer some solutions to the problem of young people driving under the influence of alcohol as a result of being more and more involved in accidents of this nature. Candidates have been instructed to begin their letter with the words "Dear Editor". If you haven't already done so, read this post as well: B2 Writing: Th...