Persuasive Letter: Why should your idol win the ‘2020 Most Influential’ prize?(Senior Writing5)

by on Sep 30, 2020

Write a persuasive letter to a fictional board of judges, convincing them to vote for your idol to win an imaginary prize, called the ‘2020 Most Influential’ prize. You should include all of their traits and actions that make them worthy of this prize, and use persuasive techniques to convince the judges that your opinion is correct.

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10 Comments

  3. Xiaorui Hang says:
    at 20:56 /

    *I don’t have an idol, so I will just go with Winston Churchill:)
    Winston Churchill is an important character in the Second World War. Without him, the United Kingdom will likely fall to the Nazi’s hand. Today I am going to examine how Winston Churchill is an incredible politician and was a terrific speaker. As a military fighter/commander, he stoped the Nazi’s invasion of the English Channel. As a political influencer, he influenced tens of thousands of people to choose between protecting their homeland. As a speaker, he can convince people to almost bend to his will.
    Born in a wealthy family in 1874, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill wasn’t a very good student. After two unsuccessful attempts to join the army, he succeeded on his third, starting his military service in September 1893. During his military service, he served in wars in Cuba, India, and Sudan, earning him several medals. After he left the Hussars, he sailed from Bombay on 20 March 1899, determined to launch a career in politics. And launch a career he did. Seeking a parliamentary career, Churchill spoke at Conservative meetings and was selected as one of the party’s two parliamentary candidates for the June 1899 by-election in Oldham, Lancashire. While campaigning in Oldham, Churchill referred to himself as “a Conservative and a Tory Democrat”. Although the Oldham seats had previously been held by the Conservatives, the result was a narrow Liberal victory. Anticipating the outbreak of the Second Boer War between Britain and the Boer Republics, Churchill sailed to South Africa as a journalist for the Morning Post under the editorship of James Nicol Dunn. In October, he traveled to the conflict zone near Ladysmith, then besieged by Boer troops, before heading for Colenso. After his train was derailed by Boer artillery shelling, he was captured as a prisoner of war (POW) and interned in a Boer POW camp in Pretoria. In December, Churchill escaped from the prison and evaded his captors by stowing away aboard freight trains and hiding in a mine. He eventually made it to safety in Portuguese East Africa. His escape attracted much publicity. In January 1900, he briefly rejoined the army as a lieutenant in the South African Light Horse regiment, joining Redvers Buller’s fight to relieve the Siege of Ladysmith and take Pretoria. Churchill rented a flat in London’s Mayfair, using it as his base for the next six years. He stood again as one of the Conservative candidates at Oldham in the October 1900 general election, securing a narrow victory to become a Member of Parliament (MP) at age 25. In the same month, he published Ian Hamilton’s March, a book about his South African experiences, which became the focus of a lecture tour in November through Britain, America, and Canada. MPs were unpaid and the tour was a financial necessity. In America, Churchill met Mark Twain, President McKinley, and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt; he did not get on well with Roosevelt. Later, in spring 1901, he gave more lectures in Paris, Madrid, and Gibraltar. In February 1901, Churchill took his seat in the House of Commons, where his maiden speech gained widespread press coverage. He associated with a group of Conservatives known as the Hughligans, but he was critical of the Conservative government on various issues, especially increases in army funding. He believed that additional military expenditure should go to the navy. This upset the Conservative front bench but was supported by Liberals, with whom he increasingly socialized, particularly Liberal Imperialists like H. H. Asquith. In this context, Churchill later wrote that he “drifted steadily to the left” of parliamentary politics. He privately considered “the gradual creation by an evolutionary process of a Democratic or Progressive wing to the Conservative Party”, or alternately a “Central Party” to unite the Conservatives and Liberals. By 1903, there was a real division between Churchill and the Conservatives, largely because he opposed their promotion of economic protectionism, but also because he sensed that the animosity of many party members would prevent him from gaining a Cabinet position under a Conservative government. The Liberal Party was then attracting growing support, and so his defection in 1904 may have also have been influenced by personal ambition. He increasingly voted with the Liberals against the government. For example, he opposed any increase in military expenditure; he supported a Liberal bill to restore legal rights to trade unions.; and he opposed the introduction of tariffs on goods imported into the British Empire, describing himself as a “sober admirer” of the principles of free trade. Balfour’s government announced protectionist legislation in October 1903. Two months later, incensed by Churchill’s criticism of the government, the Oldham Conservative Association informed him that it would not support his candidature at the next general election. Then, for a period of four years, he earned the title Literal MP. Then come the good years. From 1908 to 1910, he becomes the President of the Board of Trade. It is also during this period when he married Clementine Hozier. Then, from 1910 to 1911, he becomes Home Secretary. In 1911, he become First Lord of the Admiralty, a very high honor. Then from 1917 to 1919, he becomes Minister of Munitions. Then from 1919 to 1921, he is the Secretary of State for War and Air. From 1921 to 1922, he is the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Then, After Hitler came to power on 30 January 1933, Churchill immediately recognized the danger he might propose. But he got ignored, since he was in his “wilderness years,” a time when he doesn’t have much power or influence. Then, as people know, the Allies get destroyed by the Axis power. Due to the pressure proposed by citizens increase by days, the Conservative party nominated Winston Churchill, whom they think will be a great meat shield and puppet for the party to use. Turns out they are wrong, terribly wrong. The Conservative party doesn’t want war, but Churchill knows that war is the only option. Like what he said in his speech, “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government, that I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: it is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy. You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: it is victory, victory at all costs, victory in spite of all terror, victory, however long and hard the road may be; for without victory, there is no survival. Let that be realised; no survival for the British Empire, no survival for all that the British Empire has stood for, no survival for the urge and impulse of the ages, that mankind will move forward towards its goal. But I take up my task with buoyancy and hope. I feel sure that our cause will not be suffered to fail among men. At this time I feel entitled to claim the aid of all, and I say: Come then, let us go forward together with our united strength.” Through the course of many wars, he proved again and again that his military genius is undeniable, and that he is a great leader.
    Famed as an orator and leader of wartime Great Britain in World War II, Churchill has much to teach us about the practical aspects of public speaking delivery. In fact, few speakers throughout history matched his skill in consciously using speech performance techniques to fascinate listeners. In the second volume of his brilliant biography The Last Lion, William Manchester gives us a glimpse of the Churchill method of giving a speech. Although he was well recognized as an author, historian, and speechwriter of distinction, Churchill had a “secret side” concerning how he went about delivering his speeches in Parliament. It’s a lesson all of us who speak in business should take to heart. Here is how Manchester put the delicate process of Churchill developing his speech: Once Churchill has the final version of a speech, he has it typed on pieces of paper measuring around 4” x 8”. The text is now set in “broken lines to aid his delivery,” or what a British cabinet member calls “speech form.” Now he is speaking—and what his fellow politicians think are notes on his topic is actually a speech completely written out and delivered word for word. These are speeches with “an illusion of spontaneity and include stage directions (‘pause; grope for the word’ and ‘stammer; correct self’), each . . . a dramatic, vibrant occasion.” Like all great speakers, Churchill grasped the difference between the literary world of preparing a speech or presentation, and the world of orality in which that speech is delivered. Your content can never live on its own, which is, of course, the reason you’ve been asked to deliver your speech at all. Your audience needs your stage presence to make your material come alive. Churchill knew how to avoid negative body language that can ruin a presentation. Far more than that, however, he considered his nonverbal delivery to be a critical aspect of his speaking effectiveness. That includes movement, gestures, voice, and even the hesitations he baked into his orations. He takes strategic pauses to make the speech sound more powerful and dramatic. Most importantly, he understands the power of words.
    As a brilliant speaker and politician, there are tens of thousands of reasons why he secured the number one spot in my heart. Not only he managed to win the war and benefit millions of people by doing so, but he is also an excellent speaker. More than his political career, he is a military commander, a great fighter, and a Nobel Price winner for literature. in a career build for number ones, he used the word to their maximum potential. His undeniable military genius plenty of recognization among regular citizens, and his military career is as fabulous as any legendary military commander.

  4. Xiaorui Hang says:
    at 20:58 /

    I have so much more to say about his military career, but I didn’t write about them that much.

  5. Xiaorui Hang says:
    at 18:59 /

    Here is my revised version. Also, the first part is just the context for my analysis, so I don’t think they should be changed.
    Winston Churchill is an important character in the Second World War. Without him, the United Kingdom will likely fall to the Nazi’s hand. Today I am going to examine how Winston Churchill is an incredible politician and was a terrific speaker. As a military fighter/commander, he stopped the Nazi’s invasion of the English Channel. As a political influencer, he influenced tens of thousands of people to choose between protecting their homeland. As a speaker, he can convince people to almost bend to his will.
    Born in a wealthy family in 1874, Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill wasn’t a very good student. After two unsuccessful attempts to join the army, he succeeded on his third, starting his military service in September 1893. During his military service, he served in wars in Cuba, India, and Sudan, earning him several medals. After he left the Hussars, he sailed from Bombay on 20 March 1899, determined to launch a career in politics. And launch a career he did. Seeking a parliamentary career, Churchill spoke at Conservative meetings and was selected as one of the party’s two parliamentary candidates for the June 1899 by-election in Oldham, Lancashire. Although the Oldham seats had previously been held by the Conservatives, the result was a narrow Liberal victory. Anticipating the outbreak of the Second Boer War between Britain and the Boer Republics, Churchill sailed to South Africa as a journalist for the Morning Post under the editorship of James Nicol Dunn. In October, he traveled to the conflict zone near Ladysmith, then besieged by Boer troops, before heading for Colenso. After his train was derailed by Boer artillery shelling, he was captured as a prisoner of war (POW) and interned in a Boer POW camp in Pretoria. In December, Churchill escaped from the prison and evaded his captors by stowing away aboard freight trains and hiding in a mine. He eventually made it to safety in Portuguese East Africa. His escape attracted much publicity. In January 1900, he briefly rejoined the army as a lieutenant in the South African Light Horse regiment, joining Redvers Buller’s fight to relieve the Siege of Ladysmith and take Pretoria. This laid the foundation of his career later on. Churchill rented a flat in London’s Mayfair, using it as his base for the next six years. He stood again as one of the Conservative candidates at Oldham in the October 1900 general election, securing a narrow victory to become a Member of Parliament (MP) at age 25, as one of the youngest MP ever. In the same month, he published Ian Hamilton’s March, a book about his South African experiences, which became the focus of a lecture tour in November through Britain, America, and Canada. MPs were unpaid and the tour was a financial necessity. In America, Churchill met Mark Twain, President McKinley, and Vice President Theodore Roosevelt; he did not get on well with Roosevelt. Later, in spring 1901, he gave more lectures in Paris, Madrid, and Gibraltar. In February 1901, Churchill took his seat in the House of Commons, where his maiden speech gained widespread press coverage. He associated with a group of Conservatives known as the Hughligans, but he was critical of the Conservative government on various issues, especially increases in army funding. He believed that additional military expenditure should go to the navy. This upset the Conservative front bench but was supported by Liberals, with whom he increasingly socialized, particularly Liberal Imperialists like H. H. Asquith. In this context, Churchill later wrote that he “drifted steadily to the left” of parliamentary politics. He privately considered “the gradual creation by an evolutionary process of a Democratic or Progressive wing to the Conservative Party”, or alternately a “Central Party” to unite the Conservatives and Liberals. By 1903, there was a real division between Churchill and the Conservatives, largely because he opposed their promotion of economic protectionism, but also because he sensed that the animosity of many party members would prevent him from gaining a Cabinet position under a Conservative government. The Liberal Party was then attracting growing support, and so his defection in 1904 may have also have been influenced by personal ambition. He increasingly voted with the Liberals against the government. For example, he opposed any increase in military expenditure; he supported a Liberal bill to restore legal rights to trade unions.; and he opposed the introduction of tariffs on goods imported into the British Empire, describing himself as a “sober admirer” of the principles of free trade. Balfour’s government announced protectionist legislation in October 1903. Two months later, incensed by Churchill’s criticism of the government, the Oldham Conservative Association informed him that it would not support his candidature at the next general election. Then, for a period of four years, he earned the title Literal MP. Then come the good years. From 1908 to 1910, he becomes the President of the Board of Trade. It is also during this period when he married Clementine Hozier. Then, from 1910 to 1911, he becomes Home Secretary. In 1911, he become First Lord of the Admiralty, a very high honor. Then from 1917 to 1919, he becomes Minister of Munitions. Then from 1919 to 1921, he is the Secretary of State for War and Air. From 1921 to 1922, he is the Secretary of State for the Colonies. Then, After Hitler came to power on 30 January 1933, Churchill immediately recognized the danger he might propose. But he got ignored, since he was in his “wilderness years,” a time when he doesn’t have much power or influence. Then, as you know, the Allies get destroyed by the Axis power. Due to the pressure proposed by citizens increase by days, the Conservative party nominated Winston Churchill, whom they think will be a great meat shield and puppet for the party to use. Turns out they are wrong, terribly wrong. The Conservative party doesn’t want war, but Churchill knows that war is the only option. Like what he said in his speech, “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined this government, that I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask, what is our policy? I will say: it is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us; to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark, lamentable catalogue of human crime. That is our policy.” Through the course of many wars, he proved again and again that his military genius is undeniable, and that he is a great leader. This again showed that he is incredibly influential, influencing all of Brain to wage total war against Germany. For that reason, I think he should be honored with this reward.
    Famed as an orator and leader of wartime Great Britain in World War II, Churchill has much to teach us about the practical aspects of public speaking delivery. In fact, few speakers throughout history matched his skill in consciously using speech performance techniques to fascinate listeners. In the second volume of his brilliant biography The Last Lion, William Manchester gives us a glimpse of the Churchill method of giving a speech. Although he was well recognized as an author, historian, and speechwriter of distinction, Churchill had a “secret side” concerning how he went about delivering his speeches in Parliament. It’s a lesson all of us who speak in business should take to heart. Here is how Manchester put the delicate process of Churchill developing his speech: Once Churchill has the final version of a speech, he has it typed on pieces of paper measuring around 4” x 8”. The text is now set in “broken lines to aid his delivery,” or what a British cabinet member calls “speech form.” Now he is speaking—and what his fellow politicians think are notes on his topic is actually a speech completely written out and delivered word for word. These are speeches with “an illusion of spontaneity and include stage directions (‘pause; grope for the word’ and ‘stammer; correct self’), each . . . a dramatic, vibrant occasion.” Like all great speakers, Churchill grasped the difference between the literary world of preparing a speech or presentation, and the world of orality in which that speech is delivered. Your content can never live on its own, which is, of course, the reason you’ve been asked to deliver your speech at all. Your audience needs your stage presence to make your material come alive. Churchill knew how to avoid negative body language that can ruin a presentation. Far more than that, however, he considered his nonverbal delivery to be a critical aspect of his speaking effectiveness. That includes movement, gestures, voice, and even the hesitations he baked into his orations. He takes strategic pauses to make the speech sound more powerful and dramatic. Most importantly, he understands the power of words.
    As a brilliant speaker and politician, there are tens of thousands of reasons why he secured the number one spot in my heart. Not only he managed to win the war and benefit millions of people by doing so, but he is also an excellent speaker. More than his political career, he is a military commander, a great fighter, and a Nobel Price winner for literature. in a career build for number ones, he used the word to their maximum potential. His undeniable military genius plenty of recognization among regular citizens, and his military career is as fabulous as any legendary military commander. In many ways, he influenced the world. For all these reasons, Winston Churchill should be honored with this reward.

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