"Today on the five o'clock news a man goes on a rampage at the office leaving five dead." As I flip on the TV, I see another top story! A man has killed others at his workplace and taken his own life. This is becoming very old. I begin to think, "what could push this person to the point where they feel that it is necessary to take the lives of innocent people?" Even more disturbing, what could drive a person to the point that they believe it is necessary to end their own life? What could drive a person to the point of no longer having the desire to live? I believe that being prepared for life and the difficulties that come along with it is part of the key. The world can be a very difficult place, especially once out of high school. It is the high school's job to prepare us, as students, for the harshness of the real world. Expectations are high for every single person in today's world and some people just can not live up to the expectations of other people. Trying to live up to other people's expectations creates competition. Competition is in everything from getting into college to finding a job. I believe that is why some of the most basic skills learned in high school are so valuable. The most basic and important skills are used in school everyday: reading, writing, listening and speaking. These are some of the most important skills needed to a get a good job, a good education and essentially a happy and pleasing life.
             Reading is extremely important when it comes to surviving in the real world today. Being able to read opens up a variety of doors in life and opportunities. If you can't read, imagine what type of job you will be qualified for. Let's see, a minimum wage job at McDonalds! Wait, even to be able to work at McDonalds you have to be able to read. What about reading the cash register or the orders off of the computer? Even a minimum wage job making burgers requ...