Honesty is the best policy.

’
Describe an experience when this was true for you.
The proverb ‘honesty is the best policy’ advises people that it is better to
tell the truth than to lie. I have always believed in the proverb. When I was
about eleven years old, my honesty saved two friends’ lives.

Charlotte has been my best friend since we were very young. We are
extremely intimate and do everything together. Her father passed away when
she was three years of age and she lives with her mother and elder sister. Since
the (1)__________ of her father, her mother is the sole breadwinner of the
family. Although Charlotte’s mother does all she could to bring up Charlotte
and her sister, Charlotte tells me that her mother is extremely strict with them.
At times, she is so (2) _________that they find it hard to accept her ways.

Unfortunately one day, Charlotte and her sister had a big argument with
their mother. The next day, Charlotte told me that she and her sister planned to
run away from home. I felt really uneasy about their plan. I persuaded them
against running away and to think twice before they acted. (3)___________ my
persuasion, Charlotte told me that they had already made up their mind. When I
asked her where they were planning to stay, she replied to say that they would
stay at the abandoned house at the edge of the forest. She also said that I could
go and visit them but I must not tell anyone about their hiding place. She also
sworn me to (4)_________.

That very night, Charlotte and her sister ran away from home when
their mother was sound asleep. The next day when she discovered that they
were missing, she was worried sick. (5) _______________ about their safety,
she lodged a police report. The police formed a search party to search for the
sisters but their efforts were in vain. In desperation, she asked me whether I
knew where they were. Although I did, I said I had no idea of their (6)
________ in order to keep the promise that I made to the sisters. Their mother
was disappointed at my reply and I felt guilty about lying to her.

The following day, I went to visit Charlotte and her sister. It was a wet
morning as it had been drizzling since(7) __________. Upon arriving at the
place, I was taken aback to see the bad state of the (8) ___________wooden
house, which stood in a (9)_________________landscape. Many parts of the
house were rotten and its roof was leaky. The sisters, who appeared to be pale,
were glad to see me. Even though they were tired, weak, thirsty and hungry,
they pretended that they were happy to live in the house.
 After visiting them, I felt sorry about their living conditions. Although I
promised to bring them some food and drinks, I went to see their mother instead.
I apologised to her and told her the truth. All at once, the huge weight of
keeping the secret and lying were lifted off my shoulders. Their mother could
not be more grateful to me. Accompanied by the police and me, she went to
fetch her daughters from the house. By the time we reached there, the sisters
were almost dying of (10) _________________________.

Albeit Charlotte was angry with me for breaking the promise, she
eventually forgave me and realised that I was actually doing the right thing. She
and her sister thanked me for doing them a favour and saving their lives. Their
mother promised to be more reasonable and she does live up to her promise.
Until today, I still believe that ‘honesty is the best policy’.

secrecy 保密 (名词) Apprehensive 忧虑 whereabouts 行踪

Harsh 苛刻 dehydration and starvation 脱水和饥饿。

daybreak 破晓 Demise 死去

In spite of 尽管 dilapidated 残破

bleak and desolate 凄凉而荒凉