At that time, all of the fifth and sixth-grade students were required to stay after school to prepare for the junior-high-school entrance exams, but Kuo ’ s teacher made him complete a watercolor sketch every day before heading off to the cram session. Two years of this regimen improved his skill to the point that he won first prize for painting in the all-school competition.
當時準備升學的 5、6 年級生都要留校補習，老師卻規定他每天都要完成一幅水彩寫生再參加升學補習，兩年下來，獲得全校繪畫比賽第一獎，心中也隱隱浮現要成為畫家的夢想。