Eloquent science: a practical guide to becoming a better writer, speaker, and atmospheric scientist

Mary Grace Soccio. My writing could not please this kindhearted woman, no matter how hard I tried.

Although Gifed and Talented seventh-grade math posed no problem for me, the same was not true for Mrs. Soccio's English class. I was frustrated that my frst assignment only netted me a C.

I worked harder, making re- sion afer revision, a concept I had never really put much faith in before.

At last, I produced an essay that seemed the apex of what I was capable of wr- ing.

Although the topic of that essay is now lost to my memory, the grade I received was not: a B?. "Te best I could do was a B??" Te realization sank in that maybe I was not such a good writer.

In those days, my youthful hubris did not understand abouc t apacity bui- ing.

In other words, being challenged would result in my intellectual growth- an academic restatement of Nietzsche's "What does not destroy me, makes me stronger." Consequently, I asked to be withdrawn from Gifed and Talented English in the eighth grade.