ENGLISH ESSAY

CSS-PMS
 • Importance of English Essay
• Exam Hall Scenario
• CSS Essay Syllabus
COURSE • Reasons of Failure: Analysis of Examiner Reports

CONTENT •
•
Features of Good Essay
Criteria for Essay Assessment
• What is an Essay and its Types
• Structure of CSS Essay
 • Outline
• Introduction
• Body Paragraphs
• Transition Paragraphs
• Conclusion
• Major Topics to Cover
• Recommended Sources
• Time Management

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Importance • 100 Marks Paper
• First paper of CSS
of English • If essay paper goes well, it boosts
Essay morale and provides significant
energy.

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 CSS Essay Syllabus

• Candidates will be required to write one or more Essay in English.

A wide choice of topics will be given.
• Candidates are expected to reflect comprehensive and research-
based knowledge on a selected topic. Candidate’s articulation,
expression and technical treatment of the style of English Essay
writing will be examined.

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Reasons of Failure
Analysis of Examiner Reports
 • English Language Mistakes
• Flawed Sentence Structure
Major reasons of • Grammatical and Spelling Mistakes
failure as per FPSC • Lack Of Conceptual Clarity
reports are: • Very poor, Illogical and Unauthentic Arguments
• Inappropriate Choice of Vocabulary
• Crammed Knowledge, Dull Monotony and
Repetition of Stereotypical Information

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Features and Caliber of Good Essay
Good Essay has following features:
• Good language
• originality of thoughts
• In-depth knowledge
• critical thinking
• expressed in well versed manner
• correct & flawless language
• literary expression
• choice of appropriate vocabulary
• accuracy of language
• well versed in English Language
• organization of ideas-coherence-cohesion-clarity-comprehensiveness

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 • Read CSS Examiner Reports 3 to 5
times.
Activity • Extract key points and revise them time
and again.

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Criteria for Essay Assessment
 Below 40 Marks Above 40 Marks
• Short, poorly organized work • Well organized and coherent writing
• Not directed at essay title • Examiner demand fulfilled
• Weak spelling and grammar • Major grammar and spelling errors
• Incorrect conclusions avoided
• Weak writing and analytical skills • Strong conclusions
• Inadequate or absent references • strong writing skills
• Factual errors • Adequate referencing
• Diversity of material and argumentation

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 Essay
• It is an opinion of the writer on some given topics in 18-20 paragraphs
or 150-200 sentences in comprehensive way.
• An essay has five components;
1) Structure
2) Content
3) Grammar
4) Expression
5) Argument

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 Types of Essay

CSS Essay topics can be broadly categorized into three categories:

1. Descriptive Essay
2. Argumentative
3. Literary

Kindly listen following lecture of Sir Mureed Hussain for more clear
understanding of Contemporary Essay topics:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=um0oZIrUPj4&t=571s
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Descriptive or Expository

Causes, implications, solutions, way forward etc.

• Pathways to Pakistan's Prosperity (2024)
• Political Polarization; Governance and Society (2024)
• Artificial Intelligence: The Death of Creativity (2024)
• Pros and Cons of Globalization (2021)
• World food systems: The Economics of Agriculture (2022)

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Argumentative Essays
Stance is required. Proving essay with YES/NO. Picking sides.
• Human inventions move societies backward. 2021
• Online education is not only convenient but often more effective
than traditional classroom learning. 2023
• Is Gender Equality a myth?
• IMF Bailouts: Road to Stability or Recipe for Disaster

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 Argumentative Descriptive

Nature of topic Statement/quotation, mostly in the Statement/Fact/Issue

form of question

Requirement Stance is required. Prove with Yes/No Describe/Explain in headings

Knowledge Diversified Average

Failure Maximum (90%) Average (50%)

Length Short (1200-1400) Average (1500-2000)

marks Highest (50-80) Average (40-55)

criteria Knowledge with Extraordinary language Minimum Knowledge with good

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Abstract or Literary Essays
Famous Quotations; Holy Verses; Sayings; Hadith
• “Do not waste water even if you are at running stream” 2021
• “I fall upon the thorns of life! I bleed” 2020
• Truth is lived not taught. 2019
• Sometimes we do not see what we see. 2019
• Beware the barrenness of a busy life!

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 Assignment

• Identify different types of essays from past 10 years papers.

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Writing an Essay in CSS Exam

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Outline Primary and Secondary
Headings with arguments
in the form of Phrases

Introduction 60 – 80 pc overview

Body Paragraphs 80 pc of an essay

Transition Paragraphs Moving from one

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10 pc of an
essay
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 Outline

• An outline is simply a framework for presenting the central, main

and supporting ideas for a particular topic.
• Outlines help you develop a logical, coherent structure for your
essay, making it easier to translate your ideas into words and
sentences.
• Every paragraph is reflected in the outline.

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 Types of Outline
Universal, Primary
and Secondary
Headings
Topic Outline
Headings further
described in the
Outline form of arguments

summarizes each
Sentence Outline idea in a complete
sentence
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Topic Outline is most recommended

• Universal Heading: The heading which has been repeated in

every essay and an essay has two such headings- introduction
and conclusion

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Primary Heading:
• This is portion/heading of your essay which has been asked by
your examiner that can never be compromised by you.

• For example if the essay topic is “Pathways for Pakistan’s

Prosperity”, your primary heading is pragmatic pathways for
prosperity of Pakistan which can never be compromised over
other headings.

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Secondary Heading
• This is the portion of the essay which has not been asked by the
examiner categorically.
• if you add and that seems relevant you will get more marks as this
always makes an essay more comprehensive.
• Meetings required word length

• For example if the essay topic is “Global Warming: Causes and

Consequences”, primary headings will be causes and
consequences and if you add solutions as well, it will make your
essay comprehensive.

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Making a Comprehensive Outline
• Use the key words of your essay in headings as this will force you
to remain relevant to the topic of your essay.
• Every heading must be self explanatory.
• Capitalize every key word of the heading expect prepositions,
articles, helping verbs, pronouns and conjunctions.
• Illustrate the headings with points in the form of phrases.

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• Every point can be divided into sub points in order to explain the
content of the paragraph however separate paragraphs are not
required for sub points.
• Writing complete sentences should be avoided and it is advised to
prefer writing phrases instead of complete sentences.
• It should be flawless and one cannot afford even a single mistake
in the outline.

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Steps of Making an outline

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1. Select a topic you are sure to write on.
2. Identify key words of topic.
3. Divide topic into universal, primary and secondary headings.
4. Pour down thoughts/arguments in each heading/section.
5. Select excellent arguments and organize them under headings
by making a rough outline.
6. Neat your outline by keeping in view the logical organization of
headings.
7. Your outline is ready.

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 Outline of Descriptive Essay

• Climate Change a Real Threat for Economic Growth of Pakistan

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1. Introduction (Universal Heading)
a.
b.
c. Thesis Statement
2. Causes of Climate Change in Pakistan (secondary heading)
2.1.
a.
2.2.
a.
3. Consequences of Climate Change on Economic Growth in Pakistan (Primary
Heading)
3.1.
a.
3.2.
a.
4. Solutions to Minimize Threats of Climate Change
5. Conclusion (Universal Headings)
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 Activity
Make a comprehensive outline on one of the following topics:
1. Making of new Provinces in Pakistan: Challenges and Prospects
2. Obligations of UNO in 21th century.
3. Pathways for Pakistan’s Prosperity

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Outline of Argumentative Essay

• IMF Bailouts: Road to Stability or Recipe for Disaster

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1. Introduction
a.
b.
c.
2. IMF Bailouts as Recipe for Disaster (Your Stance)
2.1.
a.
2.2.
a.
2.3.
a.
2.4
3. IMF Bailouts as Road to Stability ( Opponent Stance)
3.1.
a.
3.2.
a.
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 Activity
Make a comprehensive outline on one of the following topics:
1. Is Gender equality a myth or a fact?
2. Expanding information technology: a curse or blessing.
3. Does foreign aid help to achieve economic stability?

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INTRODUCTION
• An introduction should be like a map to introduce and identify the
topic, inform surrounding context and route the essay to final
conclusion.
• It always covers 10 % of an essay.
• It is consisted on 12- 18 sentences.
• In one continuous paragraph.
• Complete summary

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For Descriptive Essays
Four Main Components of an Introduction

1. Opening/General Statements 03 sentences

2. Connection/Topic Specific 03 Sentences
3. Supporting/Additional Statements 10 sentences
4. Thesis Statement 1/2 sentence(s)

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Opening/ General statement/ Attention
Grabber
• The first 1-3 sentences of an essay.
• an intriguing opening that is designed to grab your reader's
attention.
It has usually four popular ways;
• Background information
• Quotation/Verse
• Story
• Question

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Connection/ Linkage Sentences

• Defines topic
• Linking general opening sentences with topic for the purpose of
coherence.
• 03 Sentences

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Supporting/ Additional Statements
• 10 sentences
• Primary Statements: This portion of the essay describes the points
which have been asked by your examiner.
• For example, if the essay topic is Global Warming: Its Causes and
Consequences, your primary headings are causes and
consequences which can never be missed; however, the
solutions can be left as it has not been asked by the examiner

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• Secondary Statements: This is the portion of an essay which has
not been asked by the examiner categorically but if you add and
that seems relevant you get more marks as this always makes an
essay more comprehensive.
• For example, if the essay topic is Global Warming: Its Causes and
Consequences, your primary headings are causes and
consequences, but the addition of solutions will make the essay
more comprehensive and the same will help the students to meet
the required length that is 2500-3000 words.

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THESIS STATEMENT
• Last sentence of Introduction
• A thesis statement is one or two sentence(s) that express(es) the
main idea /arguments/stance of an essay.
• Objective: To summarize the whole essay in the form of plans or
stance. It also connects the introduction with coming paragraphs.
• Location: Ideally it appears at the end of introduction and at the
start of conclusion.

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Political Polarization; Governance and Society

• Thesis Statement: Political polarization undermines governance,

social cohesion, and democratic institutions, exacerbating societal
divisions and impeding effective policymaking and consensus-building
efforts.

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Activity
Write an introduction on one of the following topics:
• The Era of Global Boiling
• Universal Human Equality is Utopic
• Political Polarization: Governance and Society

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For Argumentative Essay

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1. Opening Statements • 03 General Statements
06 Sentences • 03 Specific Statements

2. Supporting Statements a. Your Stance /Thesis 07 Sentences

10 Sentences b. Others Opinion/Anti Thesis 03 Sentences
c. Refute/ Synthesis 01 Sentence

3. Thesis statement • One concluding sentences

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• Thesis
• Antithesis
• Synthesis

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Activity
Write an introduction on one of the following topics:
• Is Gender Equality a myth?
• Online learning is not only convenient but often more effective
than traditional classroom instruction.
• People have become overly dependent on technology.

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 Overview of Introduction
• 10 percent of essay.
• About 17-18 sentences
• One complete paragraph.
• Indentation.
• Start with general statements and end with thesis statement.
• Either underline thesis statement or write it with black pointer.
• Never mention any fact/data/reference in introduction except
quotation at the start.

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BODY PARAGRAPHS
 Descriptive Essays
• It is combination of 6 - 9 sentences on some single topic or idea and
indicated by a new line and indentation.
• It has following key features:
1. Topic sentence
2. Development/ supporting sentences
3. Coherence
4. Unity
5. Organization
6. Concluding sentence
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 Topic Sentence

Supporting sentences/ Development

Concluding sentence

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1. Topic Sentence
• It is very first sentence or a catch line of a paragraph which
determines the direction of the paragraph.
It has following three requirements;
• Discourse marker of structure
• New idea/ Central idea
• Topic of the Essay

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Discourse Markers

• Words or phrases used to connect, organize and manage the

structure and flow of a discourse.
• express different relationships between ideas.
• the 'glue' that binds together a piece of writing, making the
different parts of the text 'stick together'.

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Examples of Topic Sentences
1. Dynastic politics is the first major hurdle for democracy in
Pakistan.
2. To start with ,it is mass illiteracy that promotes poverty in
Pakistan
3. Along with mega corruption, gender discrimination is final cause
of poverty in Pakistan

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2. Development and Supporting Sentences
• It is the art of converting your topic sentence into a
comprehensive paragraph.
It has four objectives:
• Define/Describe,
• Justify
• Link.

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 Methods of Justification
❖Quotation
❖Saying
❖Reference
❖Examples
❖Facts
❖Compare and Contrast

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3. Coherence
• Lack of coherence is one of the major causes of failure in css
essay paper.
• an attachment and connectivity among ideas and sentences of a paragraph
and essay to create flow, rhythm and beauty.

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Tools of Coherence
• Discourse Markers
• Use of Pronouns
• Synonyms
• Only repeating key word of topic sentence.

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 4. Unity
• The concept of unity in paragraph/essay writing means that one
paragraph must discuss only one idea.
• It means that all the sentences - the topic, supporting sentences, the
detail sentences, justification and the concluding sentence – should
tell the reader about one topic and writer must not deviate from it.
• If your paragraph contains a sentence or some sentences that are not
related to the main topic, then it can be stated that the paragraph lacks
unity, or that the sentence is off-topic.

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5. Organization
• order among sentences, ideas and paragraphs is called
organization and this is very essential for effective writing to put
the readers focused on writing.

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 6. Concluding Sentences
• It is the last sentence of a paragraph to conclude the discussion which
has started with topic sentence.
It has following requirements;
a. Concluding discourse markers
b. Idea of the topic sentence.
c. Repeat topic of the essay

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 Concluding Discourse Markers

Hence, So, Thus, Ergo,

In
In brief, In short, To sum up,
conclusion,

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Examples of Concluding Sentences

• Hence ,it can be stated that mass illiteracy promotes poverty in

Pakistan.
• So, it is gender discrimination which is impeding the pathway of
prosperity in Pakistan.
• Ergo, climate change contributes to worsening economy.

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Argumentative Paragraph Structure

• Topic Sentence of Antithesis.

• Explanation of antithesis.
• Synthesis
• Justification of synthesis.
• Concluding Sentence.

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Activity
Write two argumentative body paragraphs on following topics. (one
on each)
• Gender Equality is a myth.
• IMF Bailouts: Road to Stability or Recipe for Disaster.

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TRANSITION PARAGRAPHS
• a paragraph in an essay, summary, composition, or report that
signals a shift from one section, idea, or approach to another.
• It only appears among body paragraphs.
• usually as short as one or two sentences.
• strictly prohibited at the end of introductions and beginning of
conclusions.

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 Crisis of Good Governance in Pakistan
• In the above lines the essay has discussed the various causes
of crisis of good governance in Pakistan. In the following
paragraphs it will describe a few solutions for reforms and
institution building.
• As discussed above, governance in Pakistan has suffered due
to multiple factors; however, the situation can be ameliorated
through a number of reforms and institution building
measures.

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CONCLUSION
• Last paragraph of essay.
• 12-15 sentences
• Discussion not summary
• starts with specific information and becomes more general.
• Similar to introduction but written in different manner.
• Use of present perfect tense.
• More pragmatic and optimistic approach.

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For Descriptive Essay
• Concluding discourse marker
• Restating thesis statement
• Additional statements: primary and secondary statements.
• If issue-based topic, more discussion over solutions.
• Overall optimistic outlook rather than gloomy.
• End with open debate and optimism.

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Activity
Write conclusion on one of the following topics.
1. Global Warming: Causes, Consequences and Solutions
2. Democracy has Failed to Deliver in Pakistan

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For Argumentative Essay
• Concluding discourse maker
• Restate thesis statement.
• Addressing opponent stance (antithesis)
• Refuting antithesis (synthesis)
• Discuss your Stance (Thesis) in length
• End with general debate (optimism)

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Activity
Write conclusion on one of the following topics:
1. Has UNO failed to achieve peace and security in 21st century?
2. Expanding Information Technology: A Curse or Blessing.

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MAJOR AREAS FOR ESSAY
 POLITICS EDUCATION GENDER ENVIRONMENT

TERRORISM
HUMAN
GOVERNANCE AND TECHNOLOGY
DEVELOPMENT
EXTREMISM

ENERGY HEALTH ECONOMY

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• Divide these major topics into domains based on past papers
trend and current debates.
• For Example, Politics can be divided into various domains like:
1. Democracy
2. Political polarization
3. National Integration and ethnicity
4. Debate of New Provinces
5. Extremism in Politics
6. Populism
7. Global Politics

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RECOMMENDED SORUCES
• BOOKS
• NEWSPAPER OPINIONS AND EDITORIALS
• JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
• RESEARCH ARTICLES
• POLICY PAPERS OF GOVERNMENT

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A FEW QUALITY BOOKS
1. “Pakistan: Search for Stability” by Maleeha Lodhi
2. Development Pathways: India-Pakistan-Bangladesh by Ishrat
Hussain
3. Governing the Ungovernable
4. Why Nations Fail?
5. Pakistan at the Crossroads
6. Pakistan at the Helm
7. Pakistan: A Hard Country
8. Pakistan under Siege
9. The Utopia playbook by Ayesha S. Ratnayake
10. Pakistan: Courting the Abyss
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11. Climate Crisis and the Global Green New Deal: The Political
Economy of Saving the Planet
12. Green Energy (WIRED Guides): How to Build Sustainable Future
13. Political Order and Political Decay by Fukuyama
14. Education and Social Order by Russell
15. Unpopular Essays by Russell
16. Rethinking Pakistan: 21st Century Perspective
17. Political Conflict in Pakistan by Muhammad Waseem
18. Youth and National Narrative of Pakistan
19. The Future of Pakistan by Stephen Cohen
20. 21 Lessons for 21st Century

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Newspapers
• DAWN
• EXPRESS TRIBUNE
• THE NEWS INTERNATIONAL

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JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
• DAWN MAGAZINE
• EXPRESS TRIBUNE MAGAZINE
• IPRI
• ISSI
• Margalla Papers
• Foreign Affairs
• The Economist
• Press Review
• JWT
• PIPS

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Inspiring Words

“Fear kills more dreams

than failure ever will.”

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