to choose, to give up
a poet leads me to a branch road: on one side, there are lots of sweet apples, lovely and charming; on the other, there is a patch of thorn, what hides behind the success of struggling against the thorn is a splendid palace. i deeply know that if i choose the apples, i will give up a precious opportunity of becoming a queen; while if i choose to challenge, i have to say farewell to the apples. which one should i choose?
just like the branch road, we have to make a lot of choices during our lifetime. it is usually considered that we are choosing what to gain, to own, but in my opinion, we are just choosing to give up.
choosing to be a teacher means giving up the life as rich as a business man;
choosing to be a top student means giving up much leisure time in front of the tv.
sure, it’s a torture, but we must judge carefully what is more important, then give up the others. don’t think of them any more, just focus all your spirit on what you are doing.
i myself, who is standing here, have already chosen to challenge in such a great competition, so i have to give up ten days of normal classes in school and relaxation without pressure. but i am still pleased, because giving up properly makes me stick to my choice.
let’s return to our branch road, which one will your choose? i choose to challenge here!
理性选择，敢于放弃
一位诗人把我引到一个岔路口：一边是甘甜的苹果，鲜艳而诱人;另一边是一条荆棘之路，但隐藏在与荆棘搏斗的成功之后是一座富丽的宫殿。我深深地明白：如果我选择那些苹果，我将失去一个可能成为女王的良机，与此同时，如果我选择挑战那些荆棘，那会很艰辛，而且我又必须与可爱的苹果告别，我该选择哪一个呢?
正如这个岔路口一般，生活中的我们面临多种选择。人们通常认为，我们在选择去获得什么，拥有什么，但在我看来，我们在选择放弃什么。
选择作一名老师意味着放弃了像商人一样奢华富有的生活。
选择作一名顶尖学生意味着放弃了许多在电视机前的闲暇时间。
当然，放弃的选择是一种苦难，但我们必须用心审度，什么对自己来说更为重要，做出选择，然后放弃其他，不要再回首想那些已放弃的东西，把精力集中于你正在做的事。
站在这里的我，已选择了在这样大规模的比赛中挑战自我，所以我必须放弃十天的正常功课和没有压力的轻松感。但我依然高兴，因为适宜的放弃之后，我更加专注于自己的选择。
让我们回到那个岔路口吧，你会选择哪一个呢?我，选择挑战此地!
高中生英语演讲：敢于放弃